With their “form factor revolution”, foldable phones have redefined the user experience. Shipments maintained rapid growth from 2019 to 2025, establishing them as a key strategic carrier for technological breakthroughs and brand elevation.
Apple's entry in H2 2026 will drive the continued expansion of the book-type foldable market share and further erode the market space for clamshell foldables.
The key to crease improvement has shifted from hinge mechanism design to the synergistic coordination of material modulus, thickness distribution, and stress release.

The foldable smartphone market is standing at a critical inflection point, transitioning from “early tech adoption” to “mainstream practicality”. According to Counterpoint Research’s Global Foldable Smartphone Market Report, foldable smartphones posted a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 60% from 2019 to 2025. In 2025, foldable smartphone shipments achieved 19.6 million units, growing 18.0% YoY, reflecting continued structural expansion as OEM portfolios broadened and consumer awareness of foldable form factors improved. Even with this growth, foldables accounted for only 1.6% of total global smartphone shipments in 2025, highlighting the segment’s still early-stage penetration and substantial long-term growth potential.

Folding Beyond Boundaries

Looking forward, global foldable smartphone shipments are projected to increase from 19.6 million units in 2025 to around 38.6 million units by 2029, implying an 18.4% CAGR. Apple’s entry in H2 2026 is expected to act as the key catalyst accelerating adoption. Over time, book-type devices are expected to further consolidate leadership as productivity use cases strengthen and hardware reliability improves.

The surge in foldable phone sales has also directly driven demand for foldable display panel shipments. According to Counterpoint’s Foldable/Rollable Display Shipment and Technology Report, foldable displays for smartphones will post a CAGR of 19% from 2025 to 2029 to reach 53 million panels. This double-digit percentage growth is based on Apple entering the market in 2026, which will re-energize the category.

By 2029, competitive dynamics are expected to center on flagship-level innovation combined with gradual price segmentation. Ongoing supply-chain efficiencies in ultra-thin glass, hinge systems and battery density support broader portfolio expansion, though large-scale mass adoption still depends on further reductions in weight and structural complexity.

Long-term Foldable Shipment Forecast by OEM
Source: Counterpoint Research Global Foldable Smartphone Forecast

Across 2025 as a whole, OEM portfolios increasingly prioritized book-type models to capture higher value and improve profitability within the foldable segment. At the same time, consumer preference also gradually shifted toward larger foldables as hardware improvements and software optimization made productivity experiences more compelling. In contrast, the clamshell segment became more polarized, with Samsung and Huawei strengthening their positions while Motorola’s earlier leadership weakened.

Foldable Smartphone Shipments by Folding Type
Source: Counterpoint Research Global Foldable Smartphone Forecast

On the technology front, “crease-free” displays are set to become the industry's core R&D battleground, with Samsung, OPPO, Apple and other OEMs accelerating their deployment across hinges, support plates, and self-healing coating technologies.

Quest for Perfect Foldable

2026 marks a defining year for foldables, not merely because Apple will debut its first foldable device, but more crucially because smartphone OEMs are zeroing in on the decisive battleground of the sector – crease elimination.

Crease is a core pain point for foldables, serving as both a significant psychological barrier for potential buyers and a critical retention risk for existing users. According to a Counterpoint survey in China, it shows the crease issue across the entire user journey from purchase decision to long-term usage, widely regarded as a decisive factor impacting product experience, and demands technological improvement to enhance market acceptance.

What Factors Need to be Improved When Using Your (Foldable) Phone?

What Factors Need to be Improved When Using Your (Foldable) Phone? — Source: Counterpoint Research Survey on Foldables, 2025

Below, we present a comparative analysis of three prominent foldable flagships, examining how each smartphone OEM tackles the persistent challenge of crease visibility.

1. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 set a new slimness and lightness record for Samsung's large-format foldables with its 215 gm weight, 8.9 mm thickness when folded, and mere 4.2 mm thickness when unfolded. The inner foldable display has made a significant jump to 8 inches with a crease that is less noticeable, and most of it comes down to Samsung Display and a variety of innovations that enabled this design.

To achieve a seamless crease effect, Samsung Display has unveiled a series of advancements in foldable innovation. First, the device employs a thicker UTG (Ultra-Thin Glass) layer that enhances impact resistance and hinge-zone protection, while advanced stack-up engineering renders the overall display panel 30% slimmer than its predecessor, a counterintuitive achievement that decouples cover glass thickness from total module thickness.

Second, a titanium alloy support plate supplants carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP), delivering superior specific stiffness at significantly reduced mass. This structural weight savings enables the thinner panel architecture without sacrificing mechanical protection or longevity, as evidenced by the passage of a 500,000-cycle folding torture test.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 — Source: Counterpoint Research Quarterly Foldable/Rollable Display Shipment and Technology Report

As is evident, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 still relies on "mechanical confrontation" via hinge and support structures to optimize crease control, whereas the following two foldables shift toward "stress management engineering", focusing on material stack optimization.

2. OPPO Find N6

As the first foldable phone to earn TÜV Rheinland's “Imperceptible Crease Certification”, the OPPO Find N6 controls crease depth to a level virtually invisible in daily use. Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which iterates upon proven legacy solutions, the OPPO Find N6 represents a fundamental reimagining of established folding technologies.

Like conventional approaches, OPPO has also upgraded the mechanical architecture of its hinge. The Find N6 debuts a symmetric four-axis titanium alloy hinge, a significant upgrade from the three-axis design in the previous generation, reducing surface undulation from 0.18 mm to 0.1 mm and delivering a substantial improvement in flatness.

It also integrates precision machining and 3D printing technologies to significantly enhance the hinge flatness of its support structure. It then fills structural gaps with polymer materials to prevent localized suspension and stress concentration, ensuring that the flexible display material maintains stable deformation despite repeated bending.

In terms of material science innovation, OPPO upgraded the composition of the OCA (Optical Clear Adhesive) between each layer of the screen. OCA serves not merely as an optical adhesive for foldable devices; through elastic modulus engineering and compositional optimization, it exhibits pronounced viscoelasticity that stabilizes the central plane position and significantly mitigates stress concentration during folding. Furthermore, its micro-flow characteristics enable self-healing of microscopic surface irregularities accumulated through prolonged use, visually attenuating the perception of creases.

Despite adopting CoE (Color on Encapsulation) technology to reduce inner panel thickness, this has concurrently elevated the internal screen's reflectance, falling short of the industry-leading 1.5% benchmark.

OPPO Find N6 — Source: OPPO Official Website

3.Apple iPhone Fold

Apple’s foldable iPhone is projected to launch in H2 2026, featuring a liquid metal hinge and crease-free display technology. Building upon the established solutions from Samsung and OPPO, Apple has introduced further design innovations.

To achieve a crease-free effect, Apple intends to use a dual-UTG structure – in addition to the upper cover window UTG, the back plate (PET) beneath the PI substrate would also be replaced with UTG. This symmetric dual-layer glass architecture delivers superior overall rigidity and structural support. During screen folding, the upper and lower UTG layers jointly distribute stress, preventing the intermediate flexible layer from excessive compression or tension, resulting in a gentler, more rounded bend curvature that significantly mitigates crease formation.

Another solution being considered is replacing the OCA/PET/HC&AF coating, which is laminated on top of the UTG cover window, with a high-viscosity coating layer. By eliminating the upper film, the crease can be reduced, while the high-viscosity layer also helps absorb shocks to the UTG.

Apple iPhone Fold — Source: Counterpoint Research Quarterly Foldable/Rollable Display Shipment and Technology Report

Although advancements in materials are the main driver for reducing creases, the mechanical structure remains crucial. Recently, several reports surfaced regarding potential manufacturing issues for Apple’s upcoming foldable OLED smartphone. Information from our sources suggests that several core bottlenecks remain during the qualification stage:

Liquid metal hinge yield rate at ~65%, below Apple’s ~85% target
Crease visibility and durability yet to meet Apple standards

Despite these issues, current indications point to panel module shipments beginning in August, supporting a mid-September product introduction.

Moving Foldables from Curiosity to Credibility: Mastering the Crease

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