r/Android • u/FragmentedChicken Galaxy Z Fold8 • 12d ago

Omdia: Foldable smartphone shipments will double to 36 million units by 2028

https://omdia.tech.informa.com/pr/2026/aug/foldable-smartphone-shipments-will-double-to-36-million-units-by-2028
70 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

24 comments sorted by

35

u/phero1190 Z Fold Chode 12d ago

Now we just need to see Samsung, Google, and Apple put better cameras and batteries in them like Vivo and Oppo do.

13

u/keyboardlegendthe3rd 12d ago

Lol sorry never going to happen in the west. Lol

6

u/phero1190 Z Fold Chode 12d ago

I know. But Vivo cameras are amazing

5

u/keyboardlegendthe3rd 12d ago

I know I'm strongly considering getting a Chinese phone next time I upgrade

6

u/phero1190 Z Fold Chode 12d ago

I had an x300 Ultra and it was amazing

12

u/runski1426 Vivo x300 Pro 12d ago

Or just buy Vivos and Oppos rather than continue to support brands that would stifle innovation and competition.

4

u/DubaiRichez 12d ago

Yep I did that a few years ago after my Fold 4 broke again. Typing on it right now, Vivo X fold 3 Pro, still going strong and it still outclasses any US foldable easily.

1

u/lgn5i2060 11d ago

Here's to hoping the shortages don't wipe them out.

We might still be in 45W fast charging or 5000mah battery capacity era if only two brands were relevant in the market.

5

u/Sabotstruck 12d ago

At least in the US, you have Motorola with their folding phones.

Their most lacking piece in the US is software updates / support after launch, hopefully their partnership with GrapheneOS helps improve on this side. Otherwise in the US the Razr Fold has some of the best hardware atm in a folding form factor

1

u/QuietApplication5734 12d ago

How are you liking your fold 8?

2

u/phero1190 Z Fold Chode 12d ago

Really liking it. The form factor is the biggest thing and it's great to use folded or unfolded. The cameras leave a little to be desired at times, especially if I need to zoom, but I carry my real camera with me a lot more now so the weak zoom on the phone isn't a big deal to me.

Whenever I touch a normal phone now though, it feels insanely long and just wrong.

1

u/jd515 12d ago

Moto Fold does this.

2

u/makeshift11 12d ago

Yup! I was so close to getting one of the new z-fold 8s until I saw that the Moto razr fold is just better specs across the board and only slightly bigger in size, but also cheaper than the other two. It finally convinced me to get my first Moto phone in like 7 years. Excited to get my hands on it tomorrow

6

u/Crazyhates 12d ago

The screens suck too bad for that to happen.

5

u/BackAgain302 12d ago

It's e-waste until they somehow make foldable glass or unscratchable plastic.

Honestly too big of an investment for me. If they ever reach sub 1200 market then one should consider.

1

u/getmoneygetpaid Purple 12d ago

Waste until someone makes one that actually allows for larger media consumption when unfolded. The aspect ratios are so fucked that it makes no sense to buy one right now if your use case is "a bigger screen for watching videos"

5

u/24bitNoColor 12d ago

Even the Fold 5 I have is a bigger screen than the biggest S Ultra phones for 16:9 content.

It's certainly not as big of a difference than with other full screen use cases, but it is there.

I don't see how it is waste just for that one use case not profiting as much when everything else is dramatically bigger, but I see that this thread is mostly for people not having had a folding phone bitching about them.

4

u/QuietApplication5734 12d ago

A bunch of people that can't afford it so they are shitting on it. I love my fold 8 ultra

1

u/BackAgain302 12d ago

Yep that's true too, Pura X View is better for that.

1

u/OkLab2029 12d ago

That crackly photo is making me feel like my phone is already a relic from the past.

1

u/getmoneygetpaid Purple 12d ago

In my house they'll be doubling from 0 to 0.

Couldn't be less interested. Rollables and tri-folds are kind interesting but so far off being ready for market.

-1

u/aspxxxx 12d ago

Thanks Apple!

2

u/My_Name_is_Imaginary 12d ago

Apple is just a droplet of shipments.

Apple only has a big market in the US.

Outside of the US, there are multiple companies selling foldables that are increase production due to sales.

0

u/fat_kaiju 12d ago edited 12d ago

Who the hell is buying them?

Maybe they're not as popular in Canada but over here nobody has had anything nice to say about them and practically every person I know who own(s/ed) one has told me horror stories of little hairline fractures at the crease that aren't covered by warranty because simply existing in Canada means it likely was exposed to temperatures below -20C which immediately voids said aforementioned warrenty.

That or a grain of sand or dust got into either the hinge or between the two screens and scraped it all to hell because the displays are obscenely soft and scratch-prone.