By late 2023, the market for foldable smartphones showed a clear acceleration. Analysts at TrendForce projected shipments around 19.8 million units for the year, a substantial jump of about 55 percent from 2022’s 12.8 million. This surge reflected a shifting landscape where foldable devices move from niche to more mainstream, driven by the erosion of key component costs and the resulting impact on consumer pricing. As OLED display panels, hinge mechanisms, and flexible substrates become cheaper to produce at scale, the typical foldable model begins to approach price points that appeal to a broader audience. The domino effect is visible: manufacturers can offer devices with compelling features at competitive prices, inviting more buyers who were previously on the fence and expanding the market footprint in the United States and Canada as well as other regions.
The ongoing price compression has a direct ripple effect on demand. When the cost of essential parts falls, manufacturers can fund broader design options, longer device lifespans, and refined user experiences without inflating street prices. In turn, more consumers are drawn to foldables for the benefits they offer — seamless multi-tasking, larger usable screens in a compact form factor, and the promise of future software innovations that optimize the foldable experience. Competition intensifies as more brands enter the space, pressuring prices downward while elevating feature expectations. Samsung remains a dominant force, setting the pace with advanced display technology, durable hinges, and a polished software ecosystem designed to complement the folding form. Yet Huawei has narrowed the gap, steadily expanding its presence and rivaling Samsung on critical specifications and value. Other major names such as Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, Honor, and Tecno have joined the foldable race in recent years, broadening choice for shoppers and pushing the market toward greater regional availability and after-sales support across North America and beyond.
Forecasts from TrendForce indicate that foldable smartphones represented a small fraction of total smartphone shipments in the early 2020s. About 0.4 percent of the global smartphone market consisted of devices with flexible displays in 2020. By 2023, that share was expected to rise to roughly 1.7 percent, and the trajectory suggested continued growth. The projection also anticipated a broader adoption curve, with the segment reaching around 5.3 percent of the market by the end of 2027. The trajectory reflects a combination of accelerating consumer interest, expanding carrier and retail ecosystems, and ongoing improvements in durability, software optimization, and accessory ecosystems that make foldables easier to live with on a day-to-day basis. These shifts are supporting a broader understanding that foldables can offer real value beyond novelty, particularly for professionals and power users who benefit from multitasking, portable productivity, and immersive media experiences.
In tandem with hardware progression, the ecosystem around foldables is maturing. Software developers are crafting adaptive interfaces that respond to the unique form factor, while app developers optimize layouts to leverage larger, flexible screens. Battery technology improvements and more efficient processors contribute to longer real-world usage between charges, addressing one of the key concerns often raised by potential buyers. As brands refine hinge reliability and screen durability, the overall ownership experience becomes more predictable for consumers considering this category as a long-term investment. In the North American market, where innovative devices must contend with strict certification standards and robust repair networks, manufacturers are actively expanding service coverage, warranty options, and local retail support to reassure buyers who may be new to foldables. The combined effect is a market that is both aspirational and increasingly practical, with more people in Canada and the United States evaluating foldables not just as a gadget, but as a meaningful tool for daily workflows, media consumption, and personal connectivity. Its growth shape is influenced by competitive pricing, product reliability, and a continuing cadence of model introductions that keep the category dynamic and relevant to ongoing technology conversations. This evolving landscape invites shoppers to compare models across brands, weigh hinge durability and display technology, and consider how the software experiences align with their day-to-day needs, whether for work, study, travel, or entertainment. The result is a more diverse lineup, better value, and a better sense of what foldable devices can offer as part of a modern mobile strategy, especially in markets that prize versatility and innovation.