The foldable smartphone segment is gaining attention as a premium product among consumers, and its demand continues to grow. According to Omdia, global foldable phone shipments are expected to grow by over 20% per year until 2028, with the total number of units reaching 36 million.
The growth of foldable phones is currently being driven by the emergence of new wide format designs. These designs come with a shorter aspect ratio that resembles a tablet when opened and a small book when closed.
Compared to the regular book-type fold, the wide format is believed to improve usability by reducing the size and weight of the device while providing more space for productivity.
The wide outer panel allows for more horizontal content to be displayed, while the inner display provides a full-screen tablet-like experience.
Huawei with the Pura X Max and Samsung with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 emerged as the pioneers of wide format foldable designs. In H1 2026, Huawei dominated this market with a 57% share, while Samsung recorded 18%. Overall, the two controlled 75% of this segment.
HONOR (9%), OPPO (7%) and vivo (6%) each held smaller shares, while other brands only contributed around 3%. This figure confirms Huawei’s dominance in the book-format phone category and its position as the main leader in the segment.
This figure confirms Huawei’s dominance in the book-format foldable phone category and its position as the main leader in the segment. At the same time, clamshell foldable smartphones recorded a 47% year-on-year (YoY) decline, thus indicating that consumer interest is increasingly shifting to the book format.
Although the number of units continues to increase, they are still in the premium category due to the high cost of components such as large displays, hinges and special glass. This factor makes the average selling price much higher than regular or clamshell phones. In addition, camera performance and repair costs also push the position of foldable phones as a niche market segment.
To attract more users, manufacturers need to offer additional services and form strategic partnerships to lower the cost of ownership. This move can demonstrate the benefits of using foldable phones more clearly compared to conventional phones, thus paving the way for wider adoption in the future.
