This is good news for the rumored “iPhone Fold”: North America’s foldable smartphone shipments grew 28% year-over-year (YoY) in 2025, according to new data from Counterpoint Research.
Motorola recorded the highest growth among major manufacturers, capturing 44% share, driven by strong demand for its Razr 2025 series. Google’s shipments grew 52% YoY, supported by the expansion of its Pixel 10 Pro Fold released in October. Samsung remained the market leader with 51% share, though its dominance continued to decline as competition intensified.
Looking ahead, with Apple expected to enter the foldable smartphone market in 2026, the competitive landscape in North America is expected to become significantly more dynamic, setting the stage for a new phase of competition, according to Counterpoint.
About the ‘iPhone Fold’
Apple’s first foldable iPhone will use a dual-layer, ultra-thin glass structure to reduce display crease visibility, according to the Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station,— as noted by MacRumors.
He/she says the “iPhone Fold” will feature two layers of ultra-thin glass (UTG) or ultra-thin flexible glass (UFG), with the display sandwiched between them. This will prevent the display from directly touching the hinge. The arrangement is designed to spread mechanical stress across multiple layers rather than concentrating it on a single sheet. Digital Chat Station says this could improve durability and reduce visible creasing over time.
What’s more, Apple will offer the “iPhone Fold” in three different storage capacities, according to the leaker known as “Instant Digital.”
The foldable smartphone will purportedly be offered in 236GB, 512GB, and 1TB options for US$2,320, $2,610, and $2,900, respectively. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has offered some details on what we can expect from Apple’s first foldable smartphone: the “iPhone Fold” (or perhaps it will be dubbed the “iPhone Ultra”).
From his report: The product — Apple’s long-awaited entry into the category — will feature an interior foldable display roughly the size of an iPad mini, according to people with knowledge of the matter. There also will be an external screen that’s about the size of the display on a small iPhone.
…. Apple is developing new iOS app layouts and revamping its core iPhone programs to add sidebars along the left edge of the screen, similar to many of its iPad apps. Developers will also be able to adapt their iPhone software for the new interface, which will use proportions similar to an iPad in landscape mode.
Gurman says the iPhone Fold won’t run similarly sized iPad mini or offer a windowing system a la iPadOS 26.
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