Apple hasn’t said anything official about a foldable, but analysts already believe the incoming iPhone Ultra will beat Samsung in North America. This is just how hyped up the industry is for Apple’s first foldable iPhone.
This comes from Counterpoint Research, which suggests that Apple could quickly become the new top foldable phone brand in North America, once the iPhone Ultra debuts this Fall. The analysts also predict that the iPhone Ultra could immediately cut Samsung’s foldable market share in the region by nearly half. This explains why Samsung is focusing on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, to compete with Apple’s wide foldable.
With the latest market data available, Samsung currently holds a 51% market share in the US for foldables, with Motorola at 44% and Google at 5%. Motorola’s share is quite impressive considering its book-style foldable hasn’t launched yet.
These analysts predict that Apple could almost immediately capture 46% of the market, with Samsung’s share dropping to 29%, Motorola at 23%, and Google at 3%. The foldable market in the US is also expected to grow 48% this year.
Apple’s foldable could hit Google worse than Samsung, however
Despite the fact that Samsung is the leader and could lose around 20% of its market share, the iPhone Ultra would likely hurt Google more. And this comes down to when Google typically launches the new Pixel lineup.
In the last couple of years, Google has launched the Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 in August, just a few weeks ahead of the iPhone event. But the foldable typically doesn’t start shipping until September, putting it right in the middle of Apple’s launch month. And this could see more people opting for Apple’s offering over what Google is selling.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone Ultra at its iPhone event in September, but it might not be available as soon as the iPhone 18 Pro models. It might not ship until October or later. We’re also hearing that it is likely going to be a very limited supply.
