Samsung shipped 69% of the world’s foldable phones between July and September 2026, its highest share since 2023, on figures Smart Analytics Global (SAG) published on 11th November. SAG is a market research firm that counts shipments, the units phone makers send to retailers and carriers, which can run ahead of what buyers take home. A little over 7.5 million foldables shipped in the quarter, 2% fewer than a year earlier, mostly because of weak demand in China. Samsung’s own shipments grew 13%, which SAG puts down to the Galaxy Z Fold8 and double-digit gains in South Korea and Europe.
The Fold8 is the shorter, wider Fold with a 4:3 inner screen that Samsung launched in July, and it went on general sale on 7th August. SAG’s release first said the Fold8 made up nearly 55% of Samsung’s foldable shipments, and an estimate now circulating online multiplies that out: 7.5 million, times 69%, times 55%, gives about 2.85 million phones. Neither Samsung nor SAG has published a unit count for the Fold8.
SAG’s release now reads differently. It says the Fold8 “contributed over half of global foldable shipments”, which would put it above 3.75 million units, or more than 72% of Samsung’s total. Both versions can’t be right, and SAG hasn’t said which one stands.
The 50,000-a-day figure comes from dividing 2.85 million by the 55 days between 7th August and 30th September. A quarter’s shipments are counted from 1st July, though, and pre-orders opened on 22nd July, so some of those phones were stock sent to shops and carriers before launch day.
Huawei came second with about 14%, down 4 points, partly because its newer Pura X View appears to be drawing buyers away from its own Pura X and Pura X Max. Lenovo, which owns Motorola, held third after gaining about 2 points. Leave Samsung out and the rest of the market shipped about 24% fewer foldables than a year ago, a figure from SAG’s first version that its other numbers still support.
The revision also moved SAG’s outlook for Apple. Its first version expected the iPhone Duo, Apple’s first foldable, to make Apple the biggest foldable brand in the last quarter of 2026. The current one lowers SAG’s 2026 forecast, citing a slower production ramp for the Duo, concerns about display durability and weaker demand in China, and gives Apple the lead in 2027 with over 40% of shipments.
In Nairobi, the 256GB Fold8 was selling for KES 243,900 in September, as we noted this week when comparing it with the iPhone Duo at KES 435,000. SAG’s public release doesn’t break out Kenya.
SAG’s numbers show the Fold8’s new shape selling in a quarter when foldables overall shrank, and part of Samsung’s 69% comes from its rivals shipping less. Until SAG settles which Fold8 share is right, any unit count for the phone is a guess. SAG’s next quarterly release will show whether the Duo’s supply problems let Samsung keep the lead into 2027.
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