Foldable Smartphone Sales to Rise 20% This Year Due to 'iPhone Ultra'

Global foldable smartphone shipments are expected to turn 20% successful 2026 compared to past year, with Apple's archetypal introduction into the class cited arsenic 1 of the factors driving the increase, according to manufacture sources cited by DigiTimes.


The study notes that the broader smartphone marketplace is contending with tighter proviso of upstream logic chips and higher representation prices, but says the foldable conception is expected to support expanding regardless. Samsung is expected to clasp its pb successful the category, portion Apple, Huawei, and different brands are described arsenic helping to thrust growth, with the 4th fourth of 2026 flagged arsenic the year's astir important income period.

Industry sources told the work that wider foldable designs and Apple's determination into foldables are giving the class a further lift. Nearly 8 years of merchandise development, on with a increasing fig of marque launches and a broader scope of devices for buyers, person made foldables much mature and fixed manufacturers added momentum to grow shipments.

Apple is expected to unveil its archetypal foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models this September, and has reportedly told suppliers to hole to physique astir 10 cardinal units this year. Supply concatenation expert Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested the instrumentality whitethorn not beryllium available to pre-order until the 4th fourth of 2026, a timeline that lines up with DigiTimes' framing of that 4th arsenic the category's cardinal maturation window.

According to the report, Samsung's ain acquisition shows that aboriginal preorder campaigns tin make beardown launch-period sales, but the bigger maturation signifier is expected to get successful the 4th quarter, erstwhile foldable launches from aggregate brands are already connected the market. That play is seen arsenic a cardinal accidental to grow wide request and thrust shipment growth. ‌DigiTimes‌ added that that astir consumers already expect instrumentality prices to rise, truthful request should clasp up arsenic agelong arsenic increases enactment reasonable.
This article, "Foldable Smartphone Sales to Rise 20% This Year Due to 'iPhone Ultra'" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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