📱 The newcomer they're already afraid of

Foldables are still a niche market — Samsung leads, Huawei trails, everyone else picks up crumbs. Apple hasn't entered yet. Counterpoint Research went ahead and modeled what happens when it does.

Their 2026 forecast: one in four foldable smartphones shipped globally will be an iPhone Ultra. Straight to second place, ahead of Huawei, behind only Samsung.

🔸 Samsung: drops from 40% to 32%
🔸 Apple: debuts at 25%
🔸 Huawei: slides from 30% to 24%
🔸 Motorola: 8%, HONOR: 3%

The overall market is projected to grow 21% year-over-year — largely on the strength of Apple's entry alone.

A fun wrinkle: Samsung just unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold8 in a shorter, wider form factor — exactly the shape rumored for the iPhone Ultra. Samsung's mobile chief told Joanna Stern the resemblance is purely coincidental. Sure it is.

9to5Mac