Samsung

Samsung held 22% of global smartphone shipments in the first half of 2026, narrowly ahead of Apple at 21%, according to Counterpoint Research. The figures also point to a market increasingly concentrated around the largest brands.

Leaked specification sheets suggest Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S12+ could prioritize a lighter, larger-screen design and battery capacity over the quad-speaker and dual-camera setup of the Tab S10+. The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra, meanwhile, appears to be a much narrower refresh centered on a new MediaTek chip.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8 reportedly saw a roughly 10% week-over-week sales increase in South Korea after Apple introduced its first foldable, the iPhone Duo. The early movement may reflect shoppers finishing a delayed buying decision, with a much wider local price gap favoring Samsung than in the U.S.

A leak suggests Samsung is considering an earlier-than-planned launch for the Galaxy Z TriFold 2 and a separate rollable phone. The next tri-fold is said to focus on reducing the first model’s size and weight while improving durability.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman expects Apple’s first foldable, the iPhone Duo, to accelerate investment in the software and hardware that could move foldables beyond their current niche.

A leak points to an Oct. 7 debut for Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S12+ and Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra. The Ultra is also rumored to pair a 14.6-inch display with MediaTek’s Dimensity 9500, while U.S. pricing and availability have not been confirmed.

An unconfirmed supply-chain claim says Samsung Display may exclusively supply the iPhone Duo’s inner folding panel for three years, at roughly $250 per display.

Ice Universe says an app built with GPT-6 Astra recreated the iPhone Duo’s attention-grabbing fold animation on a conventional Galaxy S26 Ultra. The demo is a visual simulation rather than a One UI feature or a port of Apple’s foldable experience.

Counterpoint Research forecasts a 23% increase in global foldable smartphone display-panel shipments in 2026, driven overwhelmingly by book-style devices that open into larger tablet-like screens.

Motorola has posted an early teaser for the Razr Wide Fold, signaling a new wide-format foldable direction beyond its existing Razr lineup. Pricing, specifications, launch timing, and US availability have not been confirmed.