The first Galaxy Fold was released in 2019, and it has some rough edges, as you'd expect from a first-generation gadget. However, the business has been perfecting the form factor through three generations, all while resurrecting the clamshell design in 2020 with the first Galaxy Z Flip. With how far it has advanced the sector, Samsung is the clear king of foldable smartphones. You don't have to take our word for it; the data speaks for itself.
According to Omdia, OEMs shipped around 11.5 million foldable smartphone devices between 2019, when Samsung debuted its first handset, and the end of 2021. According to the research, the industry sold roughly 8 million units in the second half of 2021, compared to 9 million for the full year. That timing corresponds to the August release of Samsung's third-generation foldables.
The company's shipping numbers for foldable phones are nothing short of astounding. Samsung has sold over 10 million devices, accounting for more than 88 percent of the market. The Galaxy Z Flip3 5G has been its greatest performer, with over 4.6 million shipments (52 percent of the total market) to become the world's largest foldable smartphone model. The Galaxy Z Fold3 5G has also been selling well, with over 2.5 million units sold to date, making it the second most shipped foldable smartphone in 2021. Samsung is well ahead of the competition due to the amount of money it invests in foldable phones. As a result, product quality has steadily improved over three generations, while costs have decreased.
When it comes to folding phones, you basically just have Samsung models to select from. Huawei is its closest opponent, at least in terms of raw numbers. However, the firm has only made about 1.2 million sales, due in part to the persistent lack of Google services, which makes it difficult to suggest. Other participants in the sector, albeit on a much lesser scale, include Xiaomi's Mix Fold, which is essentially a first-gen device; Oppo's newly introduced Find N, which lacks software refinement; and Motorola's aged Razr, which isn't quite as refined as the Flip3.
