Huawei Leads Foldable Market With 48% Share

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Foldable smartphones currently account for between 1 percent and 1.5 percent of global smartphone shipments but play a significant role in boosting average selling prices (ASPs), brand premiumization, differentiation, and long-term profitability for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). As of now, Huawei is leading this market, with Samsung trailing far behind at second place.

### Huawei’s Foldable Smartphone Offerings vs. Samsung’s

Before delving further, let’s review the catalog of foldable smartphones from both brands:

#### Huawei
1. **Ultra-premium, triple-folding Mate XT Ultimate**: Priced over $4,000 (1TB+16GB RAM version).
2. **Horizontally folding Mate X6**: Starts at around $1,800.
3. **Vertically folding Pura X**: Priced at around $1,000.
4. **Budget-friendly Nova Flip**: Priced at around $750.

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October 8, 2025

#### Samsung
1. **Book-style Galaxy Z Fold 7**: Starts at around $2,000.
2. **Clamshell-style Galaxy Z Flip 7**: Priced at around $1,200.
3. **Budget-friendly Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE**: Starts retailing from around $900.

### Market Share

According to a Canalys analysis, Huawei controlled 48 percent of the global foldable smartphone shipments in H1 2025, with Samsung at a distant second place with just 20 percent. This is a significant shift compared to previous years; for instance, in 2024, Samsung led with 45 percent while Huawei had only 24 percent.

Moreover, the greater China region now boasts the deepest penetration of foldable smartphones, with North America trailing at 1.2 percent market penetration.

### Key Role of Huawei’s Nova Flip

Huawei’s cheaper foldable offering, the Nova Flip, has played a crucial role in making Huawei the global leader in this nascent segment.