The foldable smartphone panel market is set to rebound from its 2025 adjustment phase in 2026. Shipments are forecast to grow by around 24% YoY, while revenues are expected to rise by around 48% YoY. Growth will be driven not only by volume recovery, but also by Apple's entry and a richer mix of premium in-fold products.
Apple will be the key variable in reshaping the market structure in 2026. Its first foldable iPhone is expected to drive panel procurement in H2, increasing the importance of SDC, premium in-fold panels, and high-value technologies.
Q1 already showed structural divergence among panel suppliers, while H2 will determine the scale of the full year rebound. BOE remained the foldable smartphone panel market leader but lost share, while SDC gained clear momentum and narrowed the gap.

Seoul, Beijing, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Fort Collins, Hong Kong, London, New Delhi, Taipei, Tokyo – July 1, 2026

The 2026 Story Is a Full-Year Rebound

For full-year 2026, foldable smartphone panel shipments are forecast to reach about 27.5 million units, up around 24% from 2025, according to Counterpoint Research’s Quarterly Foldable Display Shipment and Technology Report. Revenues are expected to reach about $4.4 billion, up around 48% YoY. After a mild adjustment in 2025, foldable smartphone panel shipments are returning to an expansion cycle in 2026. Growth will come not only from volume recovery, but also from ASP and mix improvement driven by premium Apple and Samsung projects.

Growth in 2026 will not be evenly distributed across the year. Shipments from Q3 and Q4 combined will account for around 64% of full-year shipments, showing that the rebound will depend heavily on Samsung's product cycle, Apple's procurement ramp and the fast follow-through of Chinese smartphone OEMs.

From a brand competition perspective, 2026 will be a transition year. Samsung is still expected to rank No.1 with a 31% share; Apple is forecast to contribute around 29% of foldable smartphone panel procurement in its first year; and Huawei is expected to account for around 24%. Apple will not immediately displace Samsung and Huawei, but it will expand the market and shift competition toward higher ASPs, stronger reliability and lower-crease wide book-type foldables.

Q1 2026 Shows Structural Divergence in Foldable Smartphone Panels

In Q1 2026, global foldable smartphone panel shipments declined 7% YoY to about 3.9 million panels, mainly due to brand inventory control and fewer new product launches, while the supplier structure showed clear divergence. BOE remained the leader at around 45%, supported mainly by Huawei demand, though its share fell by about seven percentage points YoY. SDC rose to around 22%, supported by Samsung, OPPO, vivo and other customers, making it the supplier with the clearest Q1 share gain. Visionox and TCL CSOT declined to around 16% and 13%, respectively, while Tianma increased from a low base to around 4%. However, Q1 shares mainly reflect brand procurement timing rather than the full-year competitive outcome, and SDC’s full-year position could strengthen significantly as Apple and Samsung projects ramp in H2.

Foldable Smartphone Panel Shipment Share, Q1 2025 vs Q1 2026

Counterpoint Research chart for foldable smartphone panel shipments Q1 2025 vs q1 2026 — Source: Counterpoint Research Foldable Panel Shipment Tracker & Forecast

Smartphones Remain the Focus: In-Fold Is Becoming the Clear Mainstream

Smartphones remain the core battleground for foldable panels and the area where Apple's entry will most directly reshape the competitive structure.

Commenting on the foldable form factors, Enze Qi, Senior Analyst at Counterpoint Research, said, “In-fold has moved from a secondary form factor to the mainstream, shifting from broad parity with clamshell in 2025 to a clear lead in 2026 as clamshell declines. The growth of in-fold is not entirely dependent on Apple; it is also being driven by productivity use cases, larger-screen experiences and stronger profitability.”

Tri-fold devices will continue to serve as flagship showcases and technology validation platforms, but they are unlikely to become mass-market products in the near term. Huawei's Mate XT series and Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold route have already demonstrated commercial feasibility, but multi-hinge complexity, yield challenges and heavier form factors will still constrain adoption. Future tri-fold competition will not be only about larger screens, but also inward-folding structures, hinge reliability and multi-scenario usability.

Conclusion

The Q1 2026 decline should not be interpreted as a loss of appeal for foldables, but rather as a low point in the product-cycle transition. In 2026, the foldable smartphones market is undergoing a structural shift: by brand, from Samsung leading the international market and Huawei leading the China market toward a three-pillar structure led by Apple, Samsung and Huawei; by form factor, from value-oriented clamshells toward wide book-type foldables.

The full-year 2026 story can therefore be summarized as follows: H1 tests the bottom, while H2 tests the rebound. If Apple and Samsung successfully ramp new products and deliver on user experience, foldables will re-enter a growth cycle.

Learn more from our Quarterly Foldable/Rollable Display Shipment and Technology Report, Q2 2026
This report covers foldable smartphone shipments by brand, model on a panel procurement timeline. Further breakdowns by region as well as forecasts at the brand and model level with five-year forward views. Roadmaps, design wins, detailed product specifications, cost and technology trend analysis also provided. Entire supply chain across panel shipments, production and sell-in covered. Additional segments covered include foldable tablets and laptops.

About Counterpoint Research

Counterpoint Research is a global market research firm specializing in products across the technology ecosystem. We advise a diverse range of clients – from smartphone OEMs to chipmakers and channel players to Big Tech – through our offices located in the world's major innovation hubs, manufacturing clusters and commercial centers. Our analyst team, led by seasoned experts, engages with stakeholders across the enterprise – from the C-suite to professionals in strategy, analyst relations (AR), market intelligence (MI), business intelligence (BI), product and marketing – to deliver services spanning market data, industry thought leadership and consulting. Our core areas of coverage include AI, Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Displays, eSIM, IoT, Location Platforms, Macroeconomics, Manufacturing, Networks and Infrastructure, Semiconductors, Smartphones and Wearables. Visit our Insights page to explore our publicly available market data, insights and thought leadership, and to understand our focus, meet our analysts and start a conversation.

Follow Counterpoint Research

Twitter
LinkedIn

Apple's Entry Set to Drive a Strong 2026 Rebound in Foldable Smartphone Panels

Author

Author