Global foldable smartphone shipments decline in Q3, Samsung leads [Video]

Global foldable smartphone shipments declined 1 per cent in the third quarter this year — its first-ever Q3 decline — as Samsung reclaimed the top spot with a 56 per cent market share, a report said on Tuesday.

The global foldable market appears to have entered a transitionary phase where it is facing challenges as it progresses from a niche segment to the mainstream, according to Counterpoint Research.

“User satisfaction is particularly high with book-type foldable devices, but the prohibitively high prices remain the biggest obstacle to mass adoption,” said senior analyst Jene Park.

If manufacturers give serious consideration to improving price accessibility, along with achieving further technological reliability and enhancing consumer perceptions, this phase can be overcome, Park added.

Samsung regained its position as the global market leader, driven by the Z6 series launch.

However, the brand’s unit shipments fell 21 per cent (on-year). Among its new models, the book-type …