With an estimated 2.8 million units shipped in Q3 2021, Samsung reportedly surpassed foldable shipments from the previous four quarters combined. Notably, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 reportedly made up 60% of the foldable shipments in Q3. This could be because it is the cheaper of the two Samsung foldables launched this year. Unsurprisingly, Samsung took 93% of the foldable shipments. Huawei had to settle for a miserly 6%, primarily driven by the Mate X2. “Samsung’s August release of its improved foldables, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3, at more attractive prices along with strong promotional efforts and attractive trade-ins ensured the unprecedented growth of the foldable market. Furthermore, additional growth is expected in Q4’21 when the products are available for a full quarter,” Co-Founder and CEO at DSCC, Ross Young said (via).
Foldable shipments could breach 17 million in 2022
Moreover, foldable shipments could surge to 3.8 million in Q4 2021. This is because it would be the first full quarter for Samsung’s new foldables. Carriers in the US are doing their best to drive sales of the two new devices. There are discounts along with exciting trade-in offers for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Z Flip 3. If you’re lucky, you could even find some of the deals from Cyber Monday for these two foldables. The DSCC report goes on to mention that foldable shipments could surpass 17 million in 2022. Additionally, analysts predict that clamshell foldables such as the Galaxy Z Flip series may not have a bright future. They are understandably leaning towards larger foldables such as the Z Fold lineup. It’s also worth remembering that more manufacturers could step into the foldable smartphone segment in the coming years. So while Samsung currently dominates the industry, its market share could shrink when other offerings are available. Rumors talked about Google launching foldables of its own, though those plans appear to have been shelved at this point. Manufacturers like OPPO and even OnePlus reportedly have plans to launch foldables. So 2022 could be an exciting year for the segment.
