2.2 million foldable smartphones sold in the opening quarter of 2022, with a growth in the year-over-year comparison of 571%. Numbers that may surprise at first, but ultimately understandable for a sector that is still small when compared to the numbers of smartphones in traditional format: to be clear, Apple sold an average of 8.7 million iPhone 13 alone “standard” per quarter, while in the best quarter ever for leaflets – the last one of 2021 – all manufacturers together sold them 4.2 million.
In short, we are very far from the comparison on par with traditional smartphones, but for DSCC, Display Supply Chain Consultants of the known Ross Young, the prospects are bright. The analyst’s and his staff’s predictions are quite eloquent:
While 2022 will be a busy year, foldable smartphones will see strong growth. We expect a 107% increase of foldable smartphone shipments to exceed 16 million units. Driving growth will be Samsung’s ambitious plans for the Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4, as well as new models that three other manufacturers will bring to market in the second half of the year.
SAMSUNG LEADER, BUT HUAWEI RISES
To dominate the market in Q1 2022 is again Samsungbut its share decreased to 74% as a result of the rise of Huaweiinstead increased to 20%. The two companies together share 94% of the market: DSCC reports that no other company exceeds 2%. Samsung would like to thank the Z Flip 3 clamshell folding, which for the third consecutive quarter proved to be the segment leader. Second, again for the third quarter in a row, the brother Z Fold 3, which probably has a more demanding price.
The clamshell folding leaflets are always the most popular, and this is proved by the climbing of Huawei P50 Pocketwhich seriously undermined the second step of the podium occupied by Samsung’s folding book, and the market share resulting from sum of Galaxy Z Flip 3 and P50 Pocket shipments: 70%. Combining the Z Fold 3 counts you get a 91% share, DSCC says, and no other model has been able to exceed 2.5%.
At the moment it is a two-man race: Samsung, whose leadership has never been in doubt, against Huawei, which with P50 Pocket seems to have hit the mark despite having to do without Google services in the West, absence for someone is a handicap. Appointment at the next checkpoint, when the numbers of Huawei Mate Xs 2 which recently arrived in Europe will arrive.
