Apple's entry into the foldable phone market with the iPhone Duo can noticeably change the dynamics of this market. According to a new report by TrendForce, Apple will be able to ship about 5 million iPhone Duo units in 2026 alone and reach a 24.8% share of the global foldable phone market.
According to ITNA quoting 9to5mac, TrendForce predicts that total global shipments of foldable phones will reach about 20.2 million units in 2026; a very limited growth equivalent to only 0.5% compared to last year. However, if Apple products are removed from the calculations, total shipments of foldable phones from Android companies will be about 15.2 million units, showing more than a 20% year-on-year decline. A sharp increase in component costs is cited as one of the main factors for this slump.
Despite Apple's strong entry, Samsung will still retain the top position in the foldable phone market. TrendForce expects Samsung to ship about 7.1 million foldable phones this year and reach a 35.1% share. Huawei, with shipments of about 5 million units, will have a share similar to Apple's, namely 24.8%.
Of course, Apple has had to make some hardware compromises to design the iPhone Duo. To reduce device thickness and free up internal space, the company has removed the dedicated periscope telephoto camera and settled for a 48-megapixel main camera with quality 2x zoom. Also, instead of Face ID, a Touch ID sensor has been placed on the side of the device. These decisions indicate that foldable phones still face trade-offs among thickness, camera, authentication, and battery space.
TrendForce also believes that deeper integration of artificial intelligence and multitasking capabilities with the large displays of foldable phones can, in the future, turn these products from a simple hardware distinction into a new interface for AI applications.