Before we had smartphones with screens almost too big to fit in your pocket, there was the flip phone.
Thanks to its clamshell design, it was small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, even if you couldn’t do much more than phone and text. As phones have become “smarter”, they have also become larger and larger. But today, a new wave of foldable smartphones promises to combine modern smartphone technology with the convenience of smaller, more compact foldable models. So, could these phones be the future of the smartphone industry?
And rapport from IDC shows that there is demand for foldable phones, with 7.1 million units shipped last year – far more than the 1.9 million units shipped in 2020. The analyst predicts that the foldable smartphone market will reach 27.6 million units worth $29 billion by 2025.
“The foldable smartphone segment is here to stay”
“The foldable smartphone segment is here to stay because it’s an attractive form factor with a unique value proposition,” says Nabila Popal, research director at IDC’s Worldwide Tracker team. The analyst predicts 80% year-on-year growth in 2022 alone, with nearly 13 million shipments.
This figure may seem impressive, but it is worth remembering that even in 2025, these smartphones will probably represent less than 2% of the total smartphone market.
The interest is obvious, but why? The main selling point of a foldable smartphone is the convenience of a smaller smartphone without having to compromise on screen size. In some cases, the full screen is even larger than on a traditional device. But can these benefits outweigh the higher price?
The screen size advantage
Among foldable smartphones, there are smartphones that bend and turn around. Smartphones that “flip” split in half, horizontally, like a hamburger, while those that “fold” split in half, vertically, like a hotdog.
Flip phones have a slightly larger screen than an average smartphone when open, but are half the size when closed. For example, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 in the “flip” category has a 6.7-inch main screen when open. However, the phone cover measures only 1.9 inches when closed.
Smartphones that “fold” have an additional advantage: their screens are much larger than those of your average smartphone. The size of some foldable smartphones can even be compared to that of a tablet. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 has a 7.6-inch screen when open and 6.2 inches when closed. By comparison, my iPhone 11 has a 6.1-inch screen. At any time.
One of the unique features of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 is its “Flex Mode”, which allows applications to automatically adapt to the folded screen. Aaron Gray, an early Fold3 user, says he uses the feature for everything from streaming to virtual meetings.
“I like to use this feature when browsing YouTube, as I can browse and watch the videos without holding my phone up. It’s also handy for hands-free video calls, as I can make full use of the stylus when presenting or collaborating on a virtual whiteboard,” Gray tells ZDNet.
The question of price
Consumers aren’t the only ones to benefit from the foldable smartphone. Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics, says all sectors of the mobile industry can benefit from the adoption of foldable phones.
“Foldable phones offer a bigger screen in a smaller package, which is very attractive to consumers, device makers and carriers,” says Mawston. “For example, customers prefer to watch TikTok videos on a bigger screen, device makers like Samsung can boost revenue with expensive $1,000+ models, while carriers can attract affluent subscribers who spend more data every month.”
With so many advantages, why hasn’t the foldable smartphone been generalized? With new technologies comes new problems that take time to solve. So there is still a lot of experimentation to be done before these phones become accessible and attractive to the general public.
“The main barriers to purchasing foldable devices relate to the price of the devices, confidence in the robustness, the functionality of the device, and finding unique use cases for foldable form factors” , explains Runar Bjorhovde, research analyst at Canalys.
The price of a foldable phone starts at 1,000 euros and can go up to 2,000 euros, which makes it difficult to compete with a standard smartphone which can be purchased for much less.
Towards the end of technical problems?
For foldable smartphones to become mainstream, Popal believes prices would need to drop significantly, with average retail prices below $400, as this is the price segment that accounts for more than 70% of global smartphone sales. Achieving these price cuts will be a big challenge for smartphone manufacturers.
Prices will likely come down as other competitors enter the market and demand increases. But until then, high costs will deter the average consumer from trying their luck with an innovative phone.
The first models of foldable smartphones also suffered from problems. Samsung introduced its first foldable phone to the market in 2019 and has been pioneering the industry ever since. Being first brought a few challenges, including issues with the screen, such as cracks, air bubbles, and scratches.
Since the introduction of the foldable device, Samsung has been hard at work building, perfecting and selling the phone. In 2021, Samsung shipped over 90% of foldable devices, according to Runar Bjorhovde. This growth marked a fourfold increase in Samsung’s foldable smartphones shipped since 2020.
An iFold signed Apple in 2025
Chinese companies Oppo and Honor have also released their version of foldable phones with the Oppo Find N and Honor Magic V. Despite the growth of the foldable phone market, it will take time for the phone to become a more established and reliable model.
If Apple chooses to enter the foldable phone market, it would go a long way towards boosting its credibility. “Apple can ignite new markets,” Mawston said at Strategy Analytics.
And there has been a lot of speculation about Apple’s possible entry into the market. “We expect Apple to launch an ‘iFold’ in the US before 2025,” Mawston said. The foldable market is growing too quickly for Apple to continue ignoring it, he says.
In conclusion
Foldable devices are gaining momentum, although you don’t see many of them on the street. And as demand grows, other competitors will likely enter the market, driving down the price of the phone and making it more accessible.
It might be a few years before you see foldable phones everywhere you go, but as tech companies see them as the next big thing, don’t be too surprised if in a few years you find yourself using one. and enjoy its giant screen.
Source : “ZDNet.com”