Apple's decision to skip the clamshell form factor for its first foldable iPhone already appears to have been justified, several months before the rumored device is even expected to launch.
Counterpoint Research projects foldable panel shipments will jump 46% in 2026, driven almost entirely by book-style devices like Apple's upcoming "iPhone Fold," which is said to feature an outer display that opens to reveal a larger iPad mini-style internal screen. The report also reveals a shift in consumer preference, with Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold outselling the Flip model in the second half of 2025 – a first for the series.
Apple has watched Samsung experiment with both formats for years before committing to the book-style form factor. That suggests Apple's own research confirmed what Counterpoint's data is now showing: People want tablet-like productivity from a foldable, rather than a smaller pocketable phone.
Even so, Samsung Display will still benefit – its panel market share is expected to climb past 50%, and the company is reportedly also supplying the panels for the iPhone Fold. But Samsung's mobile division may need to decide whether its Flip line has a future when Apple disrupts the foldable market.
While book-style foldables are expected to solidify their position as the dominant form factor in 2026, multi-fold panels like Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold will account for only low single-digit market share. The shift toward book-style designs is also expected to drive up average selling prices, making the category even more premium-focused.
Apple's iPhone Fold won't launch until around mid-September next year, but the data suggests even the mere expectation of its arrival is already reshaping the category.
