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According to Counterpoint Research’s latest tracker, Samsung Electronics has dominated the foldable smartphone space, capturing 64% of global shipments in Q3 2025 – a strong increase of 8 percentage points from last year. This dominance pushed total foldable volumes to their highest quarterly level ever, up 14% from last year. Book-style devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 are fueling this boom amid premium demand for larger screens and better durability. Fold ables now account for 2.5% of total smartphone shipments, up from previous quarters, indicating its growing popularity in the mainstream.

Huawei came in second with 15% (the same as last year), boosted by demand for the Mate series in China, while Motorola rose to third with 7% driven by Razr innovations. Honor and Vivo were tied at 4% each – Honor declined 31% over the past year, while Vivo surged 67% – and Xiaomi stood at 2% after a 54% decline. Samsung’s 32% YoY growth offset its Q2 loss due to Motorola’s growth, and it regained the top spot thanks to the popularity of the Z Fold 7/Flip 7.

Counterpoint estimates full-year 2025 growth of 10-15%, fueled by hardware improvements in 2026 – thinner hinges, AI integration – and Apple’s rumored entry, potentially driving premium adoption. JPMorgan estimates the iPhone Fold will launch in September 2026 for $1,999, and 45 million units will be sold by 2028, creating a $65 billion opportunity.

Samsung’s efforts have intensified with the Galaxy Z Trifold, its first trifold that was introduced on December 2, 2025, which blends phone-tablet versatility. Launching in Korea on December 12 (pre-order from December 3) for 3.59M KRW (~$2,430), and will have a global rollout (China, Taiwan, Singapore, UAE, US) in Q1 2026, it’s a 512GB model in black only – 16GB RAM, Snapdragon 8 Elite, 200MP camera, 5,600mAh battery. It’s the thinnest at 12.9mm folded and 3.9mm unfolded (309g), has a 10-inch inner display (folds inward for protection) and a 6.5-inch cover screen, along with benefits like a 50% display repair discount and a six-month Google AI Pro trial. The initial limited volumes are testing the market against Huawei’s Mate XT, but it signals Samsung’s move towards a trifold.

As foldable phones increasingly become a necessity – thanks to AI and durability – Samsung’s Q3 win and the TriFold teaser set it up for dominance in 2026, even with Apple’s shadow looming. With global smartphone shipments up 4% year-on-year (Samsung has a 19% share), this shift to foldable phones signals greater accessibility.