A Turning Point for the Global Smartphone Market—Apple Set to Launch New Products

(Hong Kong/New York, Feb 13) Counterpoint Research said 2026 is expected to be a structural turning point for the global foldable smartphone market, as the industry transitions from a cyclical rebound to a more sustained growth trajectory.

In contrast, 2025 is seen as a transitional year marked by inventory adjustments, more cautious production planning, and relatively conservative demand in the premium segment. With foldable devices still priced at a high level, consumers are increasingly shifting their purchase criteria from novelty and form factor appeal to clearer functional and productivity value.

Against this backdrop, book-style foldables are expected to become the primary growth driver. According to Counterpoint’s Foldable Smartphone Market Outlook, book-style devices could account for around 65% of global foldable shipments in 2026. The shift reflects ongoing improvements in hardware design and user experience, as well as greater OEM acceptance of higher-value form factors.

Clamshell foldables, meanwhile, are gradually being repositioned as style-driven or entry-premium alternatives, with their overall share projected to decline slowly.

Major Players Step Up

Apple’s potential entry is also drawing attention. The market widely expects Apple to launch its first foldable smartphone in the second half of 2026, likely with a book-style design and a wider display ratio aimed at multitasking, document viewing, and content consumption—signaling a productivity-leaning positioning. The real market impact will depend on pricing, timing, and product strategy, but Apple’s arrival could meaningfully reshape competition in the book-style foldable segment.

Within the Android ecosystem, changes are already underway. Samsung’s recent product momentum suggests improving trade-offs in design and usability for book-style foldables, and the company is reportedly planning wider book-style models to strengthen multi-window and productivity use cases. Other Android OEMs are also reassessing foldable portfolios amid profitability and inventory considerations, increasingly treating book-style foldables as the long-term strategic core.

Focus Shifts to Value and Software

Counterpoint Research Director Tarun Pathak noted that tightening component dynamics and uncertainty in the mass-market segment are pushing OEMs to prioritize high-value products and profitability. Book-style foldables, typically equipped with higher specs and memory configurations, help support ASPs and align with value-driven strategies.

Associate Director Liz Lee added that as the market matures, growth will rely less on novelty and more on clear use-case positioning and tangible value. As book-style adoption rises, differentiation will increasingly hinge on software experience and ecosystem integration—an area that Apple’s expected entry further highlights.