Samsung’s wider Galaxy Z Fold8 is emerging as a major driver of the company’s foldable-phone momentum. The device accounted for nearly 55% of Samsung’s foldable shipments in the third quarter of 2026, helping the company reach a 69% share of global foldable shipments—its highest level since 2023, according to Smart Analytics Global.
Growing while the category contracts
Samsung shipped 13% more foldable phones than it did a year earlier in the July-to-September period, while total global foldable shipments fell 2%. Samsung’s share rose nine percentage points from 60% in the third quarter of 2025. Other manufacturers collectively saw their foldable shipments decline 24% year over year.
- Samsung: 69% of global foldable shipments
- Huawei: 14% of global foldable shipments
- Lenovo: part of an 8% combined share with Motorola
- Motorola: part of an 8% combined share with Lenovo
A more tablet-like foldable format
Smart Analytics Global attributes much of the Z Fold8’s appeal to its “passport” form factor: a wider external screen paired with an internal display that is closer to a 4:3 aspect ratio. That layout is positioned as a better fit for watching video, gaming, and using large-screen apps than narrower foldable designs. For buyers seeking a pocketable device that can open into a more tablet-like workspace or entertainment screen, the change in proportions may be as important as the folding mechanism itself.
The competitive picture could shift again in the fourth quarter. Analysts expect Apple’s iPhone Duo to enter the foldable segment and believe it could overtake Samsung in shipments, although order delays may complicate the phone’s commercial debut. Wide-format models are also forecast to exceed 65% of foldable shipments for the final three months of 2026, with the Galaxy Z Fold8 and iPhone Duo expected to be key contributors. U.S. availability and pricing for the Z Fold8 are not established by the report.
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