Erencan YılmazA recent market study by Counterpoint Research shows an interesting trend in the book-style foldable smartphone market in Europe. Though Samsung’s market share has dropped in the last couple of years, the brand still witnesses a notable surge in sales, a clear indication of the segment growing rapidly.
As per the report, Samsung’s near-monopoly is being contested. In 2022, led by the Galaxy Z Fold 4 as the main premium choice, Samsung had a whopping 98% market share. As competition set in, however, that figure started to dwindle. With the introduction of phones such as the Google Pixel Fold and Honor Magic V2 during 2023, Samsung’s share dipped to 73%. In 2024, as more brands introduced competitive devices, Samsung’s share in the segment fell to 50%.
Samsung continues to lead the foldable market despite a decline in market share
Despite the decline in Samsung’s market share, the analysis reveals a positive trend for the company: it sold 10% more Galaxy Z Fold series phones in 2024 compared to the previous year. This unexpected outcome indicates the significant expansion of the book-type foldable market. As new companies enter this market, they are not only stealing some customers from Samsung, but they are also expanding the entire market by exposing more people to the foldable technology and making it more accessible.
The report further states that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the best-selling foldable book-like phone to date. This indicates that Samsung is capable of developing new offerings and sustaining interest despite having more competition now. Rivals, such as Google and Honor, are adopting aggressive strategies. They are cutting prices on new models and emphasizing novel features, such as thinness and sophisticated hinge mechanisms, in a bid to capture share.
The Apple effect: A game changer in 2026?
The future of the foldable market is set to see even more growth with Apple’s rumored entry. Counterpoint Research estimates that Apple’s first foldable iPhone, which is anticipated in 2026, will be rapidly embraced by its loyal customer base. This new base of customers will bring a sizeable boom to the market, with book-style foldable sales set to increase from 1.5 million units in 2025 to 4 million by 2028. Whether Apple’s entrance will eventually help Samsung is yet to be determined.
As much as Apple will certainly take a huge chunk of the market, its involvement will also validate the form factor for more consumers, and this may translate to more sales for everyone involved in the segment. In the meantime, Samsung’s persisting sales growth despite the loss of a big share in its market is a good measure of its tenacity and an indicator that the foldable phone market is just warming up.
Source: Counterpoint Research
