The foldable smartphone market is undergoing a dramatic shift. IDC's Q1 2026 data, released this week, shows Samsung's dominance eroding faster than anyone expected — and Chinese manufacturers are the clear beneficiaries.

Market share breakdown

| Brand | Q1 2026 Share | Q1 2025 Share | Change | |-------|--------------|--------------|--------| | Samsung | 38% | 52% | -14pp | | Huawei | 22% | 15% | +7pp | | Oppo | 12% | 6% | +6pp | | Honor | 11% | 5% | +6pp | | Others | 17% | 22% | -5pp |

The total foldable market grew 45% year-over-year to 22 million units in Q1 2026 — healthy growth, but Samsung's unit shipments were roughly flat while Chinese brands more than doubled.

Why Samsung is losing ground

Three factors explain the shift:

1. Thickness and weight

Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6 at 12.1mm folded looks bulky next to the Oppo Find N5 (9.2mm) and Honor Magic V3 (9.3mm). Chinese brands invested heavily in new hinge mechanisms and battery technologies that Samsung has been slower to adopt.

2. Price pressure

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 starts at $1,799 globally. Chinese competitors with equivalent or better hardware start at $1,000-1,300. In markets where carrier subsidies are less common (Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America), the price gap is decisive.

3. Camera improvements

Chinese foldables have closed the camera gap significantly. The Oppo Find N5 and Honor Magic V3 now ship with camera systems that rival or exceed the Fold 6's relatively conservative triple-camera setup. Samsung has traditionally deprioritized cameras on its Fold line, and competitors have exploited that weakness.

The Huawei factor

Huawei's resurgence is the most dramatic story in the data. The Mate X6 and Pocket 3 have sold exceptionally well in China, and Huawei's international expansion (in markets without US trade restrictions) is gaining traction. Huawei's tri-fold Mate XT has also created a halo effect, positioning the brand as the innovation leader in foldable design.

What Samsung needs to do

The leaked Galaxy Z Fold 7 specs suggest Samsung is responding: thinner design, lighter weight, and potentially a lower price point. But Samsung also needs to:

  • Improve the camera system to match its S-series flagships
  • Expand the foldable lineup with a more affordable model (a "Galaxy Z Fold FE")
  • Accelerate software optimization for the unique form factor

Market outlook

IDC projects the foldable market will reach 100 million units annually by 2028. The form factor is no longer a niche curiosity — it is becoming mainstream in Asia and growing steadily in Western markets. Samsung's challenge is not that foldables are failing, but that it is no longer the only company making good ones.

For current foldable comparisons, see our Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs Z Flip 6 head-to-head.