Foldable displays are taking over, and research says it's the year of the wide folds
What you need to know
- Omdia research published its expectations for the foldable display shipment market in 2026, suggesting it could increase by 44%.
- The company says this is due to the sharp rise in wide foldable phone popularity off the back of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the iPhone Duo.
- Other research states the phone market in Q3 saw its largest drop in over 14 years, as it plummeted by 20% YoY.
Foldables have been around for years now, but the most recent trend to take over is the "wide fold." New research states foldable shipments could continue to climb in 2026, and it's the wide ones that might lead the charge.
Today (Oct. 21), Omdia published its latest forecast about how display shipments could perform in these final months. It states LTPO AMOLD foldable displays are expected to grow 44% in 2026. Researchers suggest the foldable display market may "rebound" in 2026 following strong performance by Samsung and Apple. The company's principal analyst, Brain Huh, said, "Display shipments for wide-screen foldable smartphones are expected to account for 44% of total foldable panel shipments in 2026."
It's hard not to think about Samsung and Apple when discussing "wide-screen foldable" phones. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the iPhone Duo were two major product releases for their respective companies, and that's where Omdia focused. It states Samsung is expected to "strengthen its leadership in the foldable smartphone display market" this year.
Omdia likens this performance to the Fold 8 and iPhone Duo, as Samsung supplies the necessary displays for these "exclusively." Elsewhere, research shows that Samsung could hold solid ground over BOE, China Star, Tianma, and Visionox.
The company highlights other research, which shows a positive reception of these wider foldables, contributing to its overall (forecasted) display growth this year.
At least this looks positive... right?
A curious bit of intel here. I do wonder how this could affect the smartphone market. Probably not in any meaningful way, as it's expected to look bleak in Q4, too. But there's hope. I put air-quotes around that, by the way. The reason for that is because of what I said last time: "why get a new one when that money is better spent elsewhere?" Phones are becoming more and more expensive, and people need their money for more important things.
Maybe this is a little light at the end of the tunnel? Who knows how this will affect the overall smartphone market as a whole, but hey, at least display shipments are booming! It's worth remembering that the phone market has been dropping this year. And we mean it's really, really been dropping this year. It downright plummeted off a cliff in Q3. Researchers said this is the lowest it's been in 14 years.
A report said that the phone market dropped 20% YoY in Q3; however, Samsung came out on top, thanks to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Fold 8 Ultra. A major cause of this decline is the "extreme memory shortage." Research suggests rising prices are causing consumers to change their mentality about buying phones. With the market on struggle street, Samsung reportedly increased its market share by 23%, the largest amongst OEMs.
Apple lagged in second, but it was speculated that this was due to the iPhone 18 series missing a base (entry) model, with the 18 Pro and Pro Max.
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