Folding screen smartphone market reaches turning point: shipments expected to surge by 51% in 2026, with China as the growth engine.

Market research firm Canalys released a report today pointing out that the foldable smartphone market is currently experiencing a crucial period of technological innovation and product iteration. Manufacturers have successfully solved the long-standing problems of thick and heavy bodies that have been bothering consumers through breakthrough engineering technologies, driving foldable phones into a new development stage. In the first half of 2025, the global shipment of foldable smartphones remained stable at around 6.6 million units, but there were significant differences in regional markets, with the Chinese market growing by 32.8% year-on-year, becoming the biggest highlight globally, primarily driven by Huawei's Mate and Pura X series. Canalys predicts that global foldable smartphone shipments will remain around 15.2 million units in 2025, but will experience explosive growth in 2026, with shipments expected to increase by 51% year-on-year.