Huawei Technologies has overtaken Samsung Electronics as the world’s leading manufacturer of foldable smartphones, seizing the top spot for the first time with a boost from its new 5G models.
China-based Huawei accounted for 35% of foldables shipments in the first quarter, up 21 percentage points on the year, according to Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Research.
Samsung’s market share shrank 35 points to 23%. Honor’s share shot up to 12%, putting the Chinese company in third place.
For Huawei, Counterpoint cited the strong showing of the book-style Mate X5, released in China in September 2023, and mentioned the Pocket 2 clamshell, launched earlier this year. Offering 5G capabilities, both models drew consumer support.
Global shipments of foldables increased 49% on the year as overall smartphone demand recovered.
Hit by U.S. sanctions banning exports of 5G chips and other technology, Huawei suffered a drop in sales of its foldables and other smartphones. It made a comeback in August 2023 with a 5G model featuring an in-house-designed chip and has enjoyed a rebound in demand, mostly in China.
The rivalry between Huawei and Samsung is seen heating up. The South Korean giant “aims to reclaim its market leadership with the upcoming Z Flip 6,” Counterpoint says.