The global foldable smartphone market faced challenges in the first quarter of 2026, with both shipments and revenue experiencing significant declines. Despite these difficulties, Samsung made notable strides, nearly doubling its shipments and revenue for foldable smartphones during this period.
Samsung achieved the largest market share increase among competitors, with its global smartphone market share rising from 14% in Q1 2025 to 25% in Q1 2026. The company’s value share also saw impressive growth, moving from 16% to 31% year-over-year.
This success can be attributed to aggressive promotions for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, especially in South Korea and Japan. Additionally, growing demand in North America and select European markets contributed to Samsung’s gains.
Samsung benefits from a global market presence, unlike Huawei, which primarily relies on sales within China. While Huawei maintains a dominant position in the foldable phone market, its influence is largely concentrated in China, where Samsung’s presence is minimal.
