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Counterpoint: European foldable market to grow rapidly

14 August 2025

According to the Counterpoint Research (CR), the European foldable smartphone market is rapidly growing, compared to 2023, shipment has increased by 37% in 2024. Even, yet foldables still represent only about 2% of the overall European smartphone market.

Interestingly, the main sales driver is a book-style device, not flip-style. The book-style foldable sales increased by 60% year-on (YOY) in 2024. And yet, book-style foldables still represent only about 1% of the overall smartphone market.

European foldable market to keep growing in next year, fuel by new launch

In 2022, Samsung introduced a 98% foldable device market in Europe, but by the end of 2023, its share as the honor, Google, OnePlus and Tecno shrunk up to 73%. The trend continued in 2024, with the greatest impact created by honor.

And so, in 2024, Samsung had only 50% market, despite its sales 10%. The second place was honor, at 34% stake, 377% increase with YOY. Google was in third place with an increase of 9% and 72%, Oppo was in fourth place with 4% pie and 10% increase, and Tecno excluded the top five with a 2% stake after an increase of 88%.

Its market share in Europe can partially explain why Samsung really decided to make the Galaxy Z fold 7 more competitive this year, but the Honor Magic V5 is coming to Europe this month and it will bring back the fight to Samsung. Google’s Pixel 10 Pro fold is expected to be released in October, and the room has a large elephant apple, now rumors of releasing their first folding iPhone in the end of 2026.

Thus, CR “expects foldables to take a large part of the premium segment from next year”. In the first half of this year, there was no new release in foldable sales in Europe, but it should be converted into a second half and an increase in 2026 should increase. By 2028, CR’s predicted smartphone sales will reach about 4 million per year in Europe, with the first time in history growing 2% of the total smartphone sales.

And when it comes to the premium segment alone (defined as devices selling for $ 800 and above), foldables are asked to reach about 10% sales, probably more in major markets like UK and Germany.