Foldable smartphones

Main article: Smartphones (global market)

2023: World's best-selling bendable smartphones named

At the end of 2023, the world's best-selling flexible-screen smartphone was the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. The top five, in order of decreasing share, also included the Huawei Mate X4, Honor Magic Vs2, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Oppo Find N3 Flip. Such data are provided in a report by Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC), published on March 11, 2024.

Demand for flexible-screen smartphones is growing globally. According to the published figures, in the fourth quarter of 2023, sales of such devices reached 4.2 million units, an increase of about 33% compared to the same period in 2022. Samsung led the market despite lower than expected sales of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 devices. At the same time, Huawei and Honor are strengthening their positions in the market segment under consideration.

DSCC

By the end of 2023, more than 20 models of smartphones equipped with a flexible display were available on the global market. Of the top 10 best-selling devices of this type, four are manufactured by Samsung, two by the Honor and Oppo brands, one by one by Huawei and Xiaomi.

In the first and second quarters of 2024, Huawei is expected to overtake Samsung in the flexible screen smartphone market for the first time thanks to its Mate X5 and Pocket 2 devices, as well as the lack of new Samsung products. Huawei's strong performance is estimated to lead to a 105% growth in the foldable market in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period the previous year. At the same time, Samsung, according to analysts, will regain leadership in the second half of 2024. Oppo and Vivo are forecast to lose share. In general, according to a DSCC study, approximately three dozen new models of smartphones with a flexible display are expected to be released during 2024.^[1]

2022

Global Bending Smartphone Market Up 75.5%

The demand for smartphones equipped with a flexible display has grown globally in 2022 by 75.5%. This is stated in the IDC study, the results of which were published on March 29, 2023.

According to estimates, in 2022 the global market for smart cellular devices (taking into account models of all types) decreased by more than 11% compared to the previous year - to 1.21 billion units. This is due to several factors: a shortage of electronic components, macroeconomic difficulties, a high inflation rate and reduced purchasing power. In China, restrictions imposed by the authorities in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic also had a negative impact on the industry.

Global Smart Cellular Market Shrinks by More Than 11%

Traditional smartphones in 2022 accounted for 1.19 billion units, folding devices - 14.2 million units. Thus, the shares were 98.8% and 1.2%, respectively. Demand for flexible screen models is steadily growing despite the crisis: buyers are attracted by an unusual form factor and additional features. While average selling prices (ASPs) are down slightly, foldable models remain in the premium price segment in all regional markets. The development of this sector in 2022 was also facilitated by the expansion of the range of flexible smartphones.

A lot of models from existing and new suppliers are cementing the recent success of [flexible devices] and increasing demand. Foldable devices have been the focus of the Mobile Industry Show (MWC) as developers actively develop the concept by showcasing cutting-edge gadgets. Against the backdrop of a shrinking global smartphone market, consumers need a new motivation to buy devices. Foldable devices currently create a "wow effect," and therefore such smartphones will outstrip traditional devices in terms of sales growth dynamics, said Nabila Popal, research director for the IDC team.

At the same time, according to Ross Young, an analyst at Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC), by the end of 2022, shipments of smartphones with a flexible display decreased significantly: the fall was 26% compared to the previous year. Market participants attribute this to the release of the iPhone 14 family of devices, as well as to deteriorating economic conditions.

Samsung remains the largest player in the bending smartphone segment: the share of this South Korean company at the end of 2022 was 83%. For comparison: a year earlier, the figure reached 96%. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 remained the best-selling smartphone with a flexible display - it accounted for approximately 47% of the total segment. In second place is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, whose share is estimated at 28%. Closes the top three Huawei Pocket S with a result of about 5%.

Analysts emphasize that foldable devices not only bring a fresh design to smartphones, but also increase the useful screen area. This becomes more and more important as the use of cellular devices expands, especially when working with multimedia materials and during games.

Samsung has been leading the market since the beginning, and we think its leadership will continue for some time. Huawei,, and Oppo Xiaomi Vivo introduce new foldable smartphones, but mostly their sales are limited by the Chinese market. At the moment Motorola , it may be Samsung's only rival in regions such as. We USA see that the premium market is showing strong growth despite macroeconomic obstacles, with the ultra-premium category leading the way, "said Jene Park, senior analyst at Counterpoint Technology Market Research.[2]

Samsung has sold 6 times more foldable smartphones than other manufacturers

In early March 2023, it became known that at the end of 2022, Samsung became the undeniable leader in the emerging market for foldable smartphones equipped with a flexible display. The South Korean manufacturer has supplied six times more such devices than all other brands combined.

According to the Financial Times, referring to the statistics of the analytical company Canalys, in 2022, approximately 14.2 million folding smartphones were sold globally. In 2022, the market for smart cellular devices as a whole recorded a sharp decline due to high inflation, economic uncertainties and reduced purchasing activity. At the same time, the segment of devices with a flexible screen showed growth.

Samsung bypasses other manufacturers in the sale of foldable smartphones

In the total volume of implemented flexible smartphones, various Samsung models accounted for a little less than 12 million units, or about 80%. Foldable devices are in second place in popularity, Huawei while their sales fell short of 2 million. The rating in order to reduce the share also included flexible, and smartphones Oppo Vivo: Xiaomi Honor the exact figures for deliveries were not disclosed, but the result of each of the brands does not exceed 0.5 million units. Closes the rating, Motorola which in 2022 was able to implement about 40 thousand Razr devices with a flexible display.

According to Counterpoint Technology Market Research, the global folding smartphone market will grow by more than 50% in 2023, reaching 22.7 million units.

The Zyfras are very small if we consider them in the context of the global market, but looking at an important segment of ultra-premium (from $1000 and above), we see that foldable devices are beginning to gain popularity, "said Tarun Pathak, Counterpoint Director of Smartphone Market Research.[3]

2021: Sales of folding smartphones increased by 309% to 9 million units

By the end of 2021, global shipments of folding smartphones totaled 11.5 million units for the entire period of this segment's presence on the market (since 2019). For the entire 2021, 9 million devices were produced, which is 309% more than a year ago.

Due to the high price barrier, sales of the first flexible-screen smartphones were limited. However, from the second half of 2021, sales volumes began to grow rapidly, and during this 6-month period of time 8 million devices were sold, which is 89% of the total supply in 2021.

Bendable smartphone sales up 309%

Samsung is the largest manufacturer of smartphones with a flexible screen. In 2021, the company delivered more than 10 million devices, occupying more than 88% of the flexible smartphone market, and is also the only brand on the market with more than 10 million smartphones. Samsung has released a total of nine models of flexible smartphones, and flexible smartphones that are on sale are the third generation Samsung models.

With 4.6 million shipments, Samsung's Galaxy Z-Flip 3 5G has become the world's largest flexible smartphone model, accounting for 52% of the market for all flexible smartphones in 2021. The Galaxy Z-Flip 3 5G has been improved in design over its predecessor Galaxy Z Flip 5G and launched at $999, $380 cheaper than its predecessor. Thanks to hardware upgrades and lower prices, Samsung delivered 3.5 million more Galaxy Z-Flip 3 5G units in 2021 compared to Z-Flip's predecessors (LTE and 5G combined) in 2020.

The second most shipped flexible-screen smartphone in 2021 was the Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G with a total of 2.5 million units. The starting price of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is $1.8 thousand, which is $200 cheaper than the 2020 model, the Galaxy Z Fold 2. However, shipments per year exceeded 0.7 million Z Fold 2 units in 2020, mainly due to significant improvements in product quality over generations and related content with stylus and flexible form factor support.

Huawei is the second largest OEM in the flexible screen smartphone market, with shipments of 0.9 million devices, accounting for 10% of the market in 2021. Huawei launched its foldable smartphone in China ahead of other manufacturers and has recorded combined sales of 1.2 million units to date. With the company still under U.S. sanctions, Huawei can only sell 4G smartphone models that have been delivered to China's domestic market. Although the price of the Huawei mate X2 smartphone is still very high, 0.6 million devices were shipped in 2021. Huawei has unveiled a new smartphone with a flexible screen P50 Pocket, repeating the Samsung Galaxy Z-Flip 3 5G form factor for $1,400, and is only available in China so far.

More and more manufacturers are continuing to enter the competition. Honor will release Honor Magic V in January 2022 at a price of 9,999 Chinese yuan ($1.5 thousand). OPPO also joined the flexible screen smartphone market with the release of Find N in Q4 2021. Xiaomi debuted its Mix Fold in the first half of 2021, while Vivo will launch its first flexible smartphone in the first half of 2022.

The global flexible smartphone market is expected to grow significantly in 2022 compared to 2021 to approximately 14 million units. Moreover, it is expected to grow steadily each year, reaching 61 million units by 2026 and accounting for 3.6% of the total smartphone market.^[4]

2019:1 million folding smartphones sold

In 2019, shipments of folding smartphones in the world amounted to about 1 million units, according to the research company Strategy Analytics.

Experts explained the low demand for such devices by several factors:

• high-cost products;
• weak development of production facilities for the production of flexible screens;
• problems with the reliability of foldable phone designs.

In 2019, the supply of folding smartphones in the world amounted to about 1 million units

According to analysts, all these problems, including technical ones, will be solved within a few years, as a result of which sales of flexible smartphones in 2020 will grow to 8 million units, and in 2025 - to 100 million.

Samsung became the largest manufacturer of smartphones capable of bending twice or so at the end of 2019. Next is Huawei. If the South Korean giant leads in Western markets, including the United States, then the Chinese company is focused on the home market.

According to experts, in 2020, several manufacturers will present new smartphones with foldable screens. In particular, such gadgets are prepared by Motorola and TCL. It is assumed that by 2025 such smartphone models will be in the assortment of all leading brands, including Apple.

According to The Korea Herald, Samsung is going to release about 500 thousand new Galaxy Z Flip devices, and by the end of the year 2020 it plans to ship about 2.5 million such pipes. The Galaxy Z Flip was presented at the Academy Awards.

Speaking about the advantages of foldable gadgets, Strategy Analytics CEO Neil Mawston stressed that in such devices, large screens fit into a small form factor. Consumers can view large content, such as videos, on a large display, and then carefully fold the device into a pocket or bag, he noted.^[5]

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