Global foldable smartphone shipments decline in Q3, Samsung leads

Global foldable smartphone shipments declined 1 per cent successful the 3rd 4th this twelvemonth -- its first-ever Q3 diminution -- arsenic Samsung reclaimed the apical spot with a 56 per cent marketplace share, a study said connected Tuesday.

The planetary foldable marketplace appears to person entered a transitionary signifier wherever it is facing challenges arsenic it progresses from a niche conception to the mainstream, according to Counterpoint Research.

“User restitution is peculiarly precocious with book-type foldable devices, but the prohibitively precocious prices stay the biggest obstacle to wide adoption,” said elder expert Jene Park.

If manufacturers springiness superior information to improving terms accessibility, on with achieving further technological reliability and enhancing user perceptions, this signifier tin beryllium overcome, Park added.

Samsung regained its presumption arsenic the planetary marketplace leader, driven by the Z6 bid launch.

However, the brand's portion shipments fell 21 per cent (on-year). Among its caller models, the book-type Galaxy Z Fold 6 delivered a humble performance, portion the clamshell Galaxy Z Flip 6 struggled to lucifer its predecessor's sales.

As the foldables proviso concatenation matures, Samsung is progressively facing beardown contention from successful North America from Moto with its afloat scope of sub-$1000 Razr flip foldables, and successful Western Europe from Honor with its charismatic and bladed Magic V bid book-type foldables.

Notably, Xiaomi recorded the highest YoY shipment maturation among foldable brands astatine 185 per cent. This maturation was driven by the summation of its archetypal clamshell model, the Mix Flip, and its authoritative debut successful markets extracurricular China.

The brand's planetary shipment stock roseate to 6 per cent this quarter, its highest since entering the foldable marketplace successful Q1 2021, said the report.

Honor and Motorola remained among the fastest-growing brands successful the foldable market, some benefiting from their flagship devices launched successful June and July, it added.