Shift in gears for book-style foldables: they will outsell their compact siblings in 2026

According to the most recent projections by Counterpoint Research, 2026 will be the year in which the foldable smartphones with book opening will decisively surpass clamshell models, capturing the majority of consumer preferences and business strategies.

Will book-opening foldables outsell clamshells thanks to Apple?

Historically, the competition between the two form factors has shown a fairly balanced equilibrium, with a slight initial preference for compact models, more affordable and familiar to the general user.

However, data indicate that this balance has gradually shifted. If in 2025 large-format foldables achieved a minimal victory, collecting 52% of preferences, forecasts for 2026 predict a stretch: the book format is expected to represent 65% of total shipments of the sector.

This evolution is the result of a steady growth trajectory. It is worth noting that in 2020 and in 2021 large-format foldables occupied respectively only 35% and 39% of the sector.

Parity was reached only in the following years, but now the overtaking appears consolidated, driven by the perception of these devices as productivity tools and objects of unquestioned premium value.

Behind this push toward larger and more expensive devices there is not only consumer desire, but also a precise economic logic dictated by supply-chain conditions. Tarun Pathak, Director of Research at Counterpoint, notes how the memory shortage is impacting primarily components destined for mid-range and low-end smartphones.

In this complex scenario, manufacturers are reorienting their priorities toward profitability rather than pure sales volumes.

Book-style foldables fit perfectly into this strategy: thanks to their high technical specifications and higher memory configurations, they allow raising the average selling price (ASP). Companies, therefore, encourage the production and marketing of these devices to ensure healthier margins at a time when the mass market suffers from supply constraints.

The role of Samsung and the Apple uncertainty

An unequivocal signal of this trend reversal comes from Samsung, a global leader in the sector that recently regained the top position after a brief Huawei dominance in 2024.

In the second half of 2025, the South Korean giant recorded a very interesting figure: Galaxy Z Fold 7 sales surpassed those of the more compact Galaxy Z Fold 7. This internal overtaking within the catalog of the market’s leading actor serves as a barometer for global buying habits.

Add to this the anticipation for Apple’s potential move. Cupertino’s entry into the segment, expected within the year, could act as the final catalyst.

An iPhone Fold with a book design would only further legitimize this form factor, accelerating its large-scale adoption and definitively cementing 2026 as the year of large flexible displays.

Although these are still projections, the direction the industry is taking now appears clearly defined.