The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and its stylus.Global shipments of foldable smartphones (flip and fold) will reach 7.1 million units in 2021, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC). This represents an increase of 264.3% compared to the 1.9 million units shipped in 2020. When starting from scratch, the progression is always spectacular…
According to IDC’s new forecast, foldable phone shipments will reach 27.6 million units in 2025, with an annual growth rate of 69.9% between 2020 and 2025. That said, in market share, we don’t not exceed 1.8%, according to a communicated… In other words, still a niche market.
Samsung in the lead
The growth in 2021 can largely be attributed to Samsung. The Flip3’s new design appealed to consumers looking for a compact foldable size, its larger second screen, and most importantly its $999 price tag. On the contrary, the new Fold3 really remained a niche product because of its price, IDC believes.
Despite their low market share, foldable devices represent a major opportunity for manufacturers. Indeed, one can imagine that given the selling prices, which are sometimes stratospheric, the margins must be there, despite the significant research and development costs.
New start
“The recent success of Samsung’s foldable devices has breathed new life into the category as competitors race to enter the market,” said Anthony Scarsella, research director of IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. To qualify, probably.
IDC seems confident. “We’ve already seen other vendors launch new foldable devices this year, and we expect other players to try to wrest share from Samsung as this form factor grows in popularity,” Scarsella said. . To be continued.
XS
| Worldwide Foldable Phone Shipments, Market Share, and Growth Forecast (shipments in millions of units) |
|||||
| Form Factor | 2021 Shipments* | 2021 Market Share* | 2025 Shipments* | 2025 Market Share* | 2020-2025 CAGR * |
| Foldable | 7.1 | 0.5% | 27.6 | 1.8% | 69.9% |
| Smartphone | 1,341.8 | 99.5% | 1,491.3 | 98.2% | 3.1% |
| Total | 1,348.9 | 100.0% | 1,518.9 | 100.0% | 3.5% |
| Source: IDC, Worldwide Foldable Smartphone Forecast, 2021–2025, Feb 2022. | |||||
