Joining the fold: flexible phones target more consumers
Seven years after an awkward start, foldable phones may finally be ready for their big moment.
The technology emerged in 2019 when Samsung showed off a futuristic phone prototype that opened like a book and worked like a tablet, causing excitement among consumers and competitors alike.
However, the reality of producing a smartphone with a flexible screen and many moving parts did not match this excitement.
While early phones experienced screen malfunctions when users removed what appeared to be a protective film, other models experienced screens flickering and damage caused by dust and dirt due to their design.
Eight models and millions of sales later, the tech giant is much more confident in the durability of its devices and the category it has created.
The company will introduce a new design to its foldable phone series in 2026 to capture more consumers who want to replace their regular rectangular phones.
However, this time Samsung will face much more competition in the foldable market.
Google, Motorola, Huawei and Oppo offer alternatives, and Apple is expected to launch its first foldable iPhone this year.
Analysts say increased options will bring more credibility to the market and increase sales, eventually resulting in a trend that could see foldable phones enter mainstream use.
Eric Chou, head of mobile experience at Samsung Australia, says the question of whether folding devices will be adopted by the mass market has been ongoing since their creation.
“When we announced our first foldable product … a big part of the story was: ‘Will foldable ever become mainstream?'” he told AAP.
“Some of our sales are now easily double digits, which is significant, not a novelty.”
The company answered this question with a series of improvements designed to increase the phones’ durability and resistance to everyday threats.
Samsung introduced water resistance in its third generation, added an improved hinge in its fifth generation, and increased the size of the external display in its sixth version.
Nathan Rigger, head of product for mobile experience at Samsung Australia, said the company is experiencing its biggest sales ever with the launch of the seventh-generation folding phone in 2025, mostly from consumers using only “flat” phones.
“We have seen growth with each successive generation,” he adds.
“About 60 percent of people buying Folds, we call it candy smartphones, are growing the category.”
The company will look to accelerate growth this year with the launch of a new style of folding phone: a passport-shaped model with a shorter screen called the Fold8, designed for consuming digital books, social media and streaming video.
The new model will launch on August 14 alongside the flagship Z Fold8 Ultra with an eight-inch display and the pocket-sized Z Flip8 with improved cameras.
“We expect a lot of people to consider the Fold for the first time who haven’t considered the Fold before (maybe it’s a little too big or a little too heavy),” Mr. Rigger says.
“We have really high expectations that we will exceed the growth we saw last year.”
However, no single company serves the foldable phone market anymore.
Google is expected to update the Pixel 10 Pro Fold in August, Motorola launched the RAZR Fold in July, and other models are available from Huawei and Oppo.
But it’s Apple’s widely anticipated entry into the folding phone market that’s garnered the most attention, and could help demand for folding displays grow by 24 percent this year, according to Counterpoint Research.
The company says that iPhone Fold will make a significant contribution to this growth, but Samsung will retain the largest share in the market with 31 percent; Apple 29 percent and Huawei 24 percent.
Telsyte general manager Foad Fadaghi says Apple’s debut will likely happen after years of speculation, but that doesn’t guarantee success for the smartphone category.
He says high prices may deter some buyers, and even Apple may struggle to meet initial demand due to component shortages.
“A foldable iPhone will probably be their most expensive iPhone, and it was already quite expensive, so it will have a natural limit in terms of audience.
“If the rumors are true, that figure could be $2,500 – that’s $3,500 in Australia – and that’s the price of a quality laptop that might deter many people.”
Some consumers may also be difficult to win over, Mr. Fadaghi says.
He wonders whether they need more convincing that the technology is rugged enough for everyday use, or whether they’ll wait to see different styles of foldable phones before investing.
“It’s hard to say whether Apple will be solely responsible for these taking off,” he says.
“Further changes may be needed to be a bigger driver, including price cuts, larger screen sizes and perhaps even no wrinkles.”
The reporter went to London as a guest of Samsung.
