Foldable smartphone panel shipments are projected to jump 46% year-over-year in 2026, with Apple's entry into the market serving as the main catalyst, according to Counterpoint Research's latest Foldable-Rollable Display Shipment Tracker.
"Apple is the key driver as it starts to procure panels for its first foldable iPhone," said Counterpoint's Guillaume Chansin. The research firm expects Apple's foldable iPhone to "reinvigorate the broader market," spurring massive growth in panel shipments next year.
Apple's "iPhone Fold," which we are provisionally calling it, is said to have an outer display and opens like a book to reveal a larger iPad mini-style internal display. The report indicates that Apple's entry into the market will see similar book-type foldables cement their position as the dominant form factor in 2026. Meanwhile, multi-fold panels, like those used in Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold, will account for only low single-digit market share.
Samsung Display stands to benefit most from the shift, with its panel market share expected to climb past 50%. Samsung is also reportedly supplying the panels for Apple's first foldable. The move toward book-type designs is also expected to drive up average selling prices for foldable panels.
Consumer preference appears to be shifting toward larger displays that offer tablet-like productivity. Counterpoint notes that Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold outsold the Flip model during the early sales window in the second half of 2025, which was a first for the series.
Counterpoint expects overall foldable smartphone shipments to grow 14% in 2025 and 38% in 2026. Apple's foldable iPhone is expected to arrive next year, around mid-September.
Apple is planning to debut a high-end secondary version of AirPods Pro 3 this year, sitting in the lineup alongside the current model, reports suggest.
Back in September 2025, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to introduce a successor to the AirPods Pro 3 in 2026. This would be somewhat unusual since Apple normally waits around three years to make major...
Tuesday January 20, 2026 2:34 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Over the last few months, rumors around the iPhone 18 Pro's front-panel design have been conflicted, with some supply-chain leaks pointing to under-display Face ID, reports suggesting a top-left hole-punch camera, and debate over whether the familiar Dynamic Island will shrink, shift, or disappear entirely.
Today, Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital shared new details that appear to clarify the ...
Wednesday January 21, 2026 10:54 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In addition to updating many of its existing products, Apple is expected to unveil five all-new products this year, including a smart home hub, a Face ID doorbell, a MacBook with an A18 Pro chip, a foldable iPhone, and augmented reality glasses.
Below, we have recapped rumored features for each product.
Smart Home Hub
Apple home hub (concept)
Apple's long-rumored smart home hub should...
Wednesday January 21, 2026 12:31 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple is working on a small, wearable AI pin equipped with multiple cameras, a speaker, and microphones, reports The Information. If it actually launches, the AI pin will likely run the new Siri chatbot that Apple plans to unveil in iOS 27.
The pin is said to be similar in size to an AirTag, with a thin, flat, circular disc shape. It has an aluminum and glass shell, and two cameras at the...
Tuesday January 20, 2026 4:36 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple's App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple TV service are experiencing an outage at the current time, according to Apple's System Status page.
Apple says that some users may be experiencing issues with the App Store and iTunes Store. Apple also says some users may be seeing intermittent issues with Apple TV. The Apple TV Channels feature is down too, and users may be unable to access some...
While I don't imagine it will be the most popular model, I think it'll take a decent market share among the iPhones. I regularly see people with Galaxy Folds and those are nearly as expensive as the rumoured iPhone fold price. There seems to be a large crowd on MR though who don't have a concept of "personal preference" and will come in to say "I don't want one, so why would anyone else?"
Coworker showed me his new galaxy fold yesterday, and it's the first time I've held and tried one out. It was interesting, but didn't feel very rugged, which is kinda important with phones for me. I tend to use my stuff in some unforgiving environments. Anyway, he moved from either a 15 or 16 Pro Max and Apple watch, to the Fold and a Galaxy watch, and was quite happy with the switch. It's his first Android device. Asked if he was going to go back if/when Apple releases a fold and he said "naa". He liked the customization of Android, hates iOS 26/Liquid Glass, and was tried of Apple "blowing smoke up his ass".
While it was cool to check out, I don't personally see myself getting on this train. I don't need or want to carry more screen with me. Might be interesting a flip-style foldable, though.
