Global foldable smartphone shipments are expected to rise more than 22% this year to more than 22 million units, according to Omdia, despite a 21.6% year-over-year decline to 5.1 million units in the first half of 2026. The recovery is being driven by wider book-style devices from Samsung Electronics and Huawei, with Apple also widely expected to introduce its first foldable iPhone around September or October. Omdia forecasts shipments will increase from 18.2 million units in 2025 to 36 million by 2028 and 45 million by 2030, although foldables are likely to remain a premium niche representing less than 3% of global smartphone shipments at the end of the decade. Flip-style devices suffered a 47% first-half drop, while book-type models held roughly steady and reached 69% of foldable volume. Samsung and Huawei accounted for 75% of book-type shipments during the period. Apple’s potential entry could lift demand, particularly in Japan, but high component costs, repair concerns and questions about camera performance continue to limit mass-market adoption.