Foldables will outperform the smartphone market throughout the forecast period and will represent over 10% of the total smartphone market value by 2029

NEEDHAM, Mass. – Worldwide foldable smartphone shipments are forecast to grow 10% year-on-year (YoY) in 2025 to 20.6 million units, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. The new foldable iPhone from Apple, alongside Samsung's Galaxy Z Trifold, available from Q1 2025, are expected to ignite consumer demand for the category in 2026.

“Next year will prove exciting for the foldable category with multiple launches pushing the market to 30% YoY growth from just 6% in the prior forecast,” said Nabila Popal, senior research director with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. “Samsung will kick start 2026 with the Galaxy Z Trifold, introducing tri-fold innovation to mainstream global consumers, building off the momentum of the successful Galaxy Z Fold7 in 2025. Huawei’s foldables running on HarmonyOS Next will also see strong growth, with shipments expected to almost double in 2026. But the real game-changer for the category comes at year-end when Apple enters the foldable space, projected to capture over 22% unit share and a staggering 34% of the foldables market value in its first year, thanks to an expected average price point of $2,400.”

“The launch of Apple’s first foldable iPhone will mark a turning point for the foldable segment,” said Francisco Jeronimo, vice president of client devices at IDC. “This move is likely to boost category awareness and drive consumer interest. Apple tends to be a catalyst for mainstream adoption of new categories. Although foldables will continue to be a niche segment from a volume perspective, it will become a relevant value driver for most vendors offering foldables, as average selling prices will be 3 times higher than a standard smartphone.”

As consumers keep their smartphones for longer, driving replacement cycles have become increasingly difficult for vendors. Foldables and even tri-folds are becoming critical for an industry that has plateaued and needs meaningful innovation to motivate upgrades and drive value. The foldables category is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17% through 2029, compared with less than 1% for the traditional smartphone segment.