Despite a fourfold increase in sales by 2025, the market share of foldable phones will remain negligible, below 2%, in the years to come, according to the firm IDC.
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In 2021, 1.348 billion smartphones were sold worldwide, including 7.1 million foldable models. This only represents a derisory market share, around 0.5%.
By 2025, IDC predicts that this rate could rise to … 1.8%, with annual sales multiplied by four, or 27.6 million copies sold, out of a total of 1.518 billion smartphones sold in the world. world. This nevertheless represents an average increase in sales of 70% per year, but in a market that is still not very competitive.
The most compact models, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3, are the most popular in the sector, even if they approach, at best, US$1,000. It is also all these very high prices, which can blithely exceed US$2,000 per device, that mean that this market will remain relatively confidential for a few more years.
Today, these devices all belong to the premium Android market. What is interesting is the battle between manufacturers to find the right format. If demand were to grow one day, then prices would be driven down and, finally, foldable phones would become more popular. But that will obviously not happen for five years.