The global foldable smartphone market is preparing for a major expansion, according to the latest IDC Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. IDC forecasts a 10% year-over-year (YoY) growth in 2025, with total shipments reaching 20.6 million units. But the real acceleration begins in 2026, fueled by two of the industry’s most anticipated launches: Apple’s first foldable iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy Z Trifold.

2026: A Breakout Year for Foldable Smartphones

IDC now predicts the foldable category will achieve a 30% YoY growth in 2026, a huge jump from the earlier projection of 6%. This rapid surge will be driven by several high-impact flagship devices that will reshape the premium smartphone market.

“Next year will prove exciting for the foldable category with multiple launches pushing the market to new heights,” said Nabila Popal, Senior Research Director at IDC. “Samsung will kick off 2026 with the Galaxy Z Trifold, bringing tri-fold innovation to the mainstream and building on the success of 2025’s Galaxy Z Fold7. Meanwhile, shipments of Huawei foldables running HarmonyOS Next are expected to nearly double.”

Popal highlights that the true turning point arrives at the end of 2026:
“Apple’s entry will redefine the market. We expect Apple to capture over 22% of unit share and an impressive 34% of the total foldables market value in its first year, driven by an estimated average selling price around $2,400.”

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Apple’s Foldable iPhone: The Market-Shifting Moment

Industry analysts agree that the arrival of an Apple foldable iPhone will mark a historic milestone for consumer adoption.

“Apple has a proven track record of pushing emerging categories into the mainstream,” said Francisco Jeronimo, Vice President of Client Devices at IDC. “While foldables will remain a niche in volume, they will become essential for value generation. Average selling prices for foldables are around three times higher than standard smartphones.”

Apple’s entry is expected to dramatically increase public interest and accelerate adoption across the entire foldable smartphone market.

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Long-Term Forecast: Foldables Will Outperform Traditional Smartphones

As global smartphone replacement cycles continue to slow, foldable and tri-fold devices offer the innovation needed to inspire upgrades and drive revenue.

IDC projects the foldable category will grow at a 17% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) through 2029, far surpassing the traditional smartphone market, which is expected to grow at under 1%.

Crucially, foldable smartphones are predicted to contribute over 10% of total smartphone market value by 2029, demonstrating their outsized impact on industry profitability.

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