March 18th Update: Huawei scores yet another first place, and this time, it's on a global scale.
According to data from the DSCC (Display Supply Chain Consultants), in the fourth quarter of 2023, among the top 10 best-selling foldable phones worldwide, Samsung held 4 spots, while Honor and OPPO each had 2, and Huawei and Xiaomi had 1 each.
Specifically, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 remained the top-selling model, followed by Huawei Mate X5, Honor Magic Vs2, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, and OPPO Find N3 Flip, among others.
Looking ahead to the first quarter of 2024, DSCC suggests that Huawei might surpass Samsung to claim the top spot in this niche segment.
The report indicates that Huawei's strong performance is expected to drive a 105% year-on-year growth in the foldable phone market in the first quarter of 2024, with Samsung anticipated to regain its leadership position in the latter half of the year.
Furthermore, the report highlights that while Huawei and Honor are expected to gain market share in 2024, OPPO and vivo may forfeit updating their flip-foldable phones due to concerns over price elasticity, thickness issues, and acceptance in the Chinese market, leading to a loss of market share.
Of course, in the current foldable phone market competition, Apple can only watch from the sidelines as they might not introduce foldable devices until as late as 2026.
