Omdia: Foldable Display Shipments to Rise 44% in 2026

According to Omdia's forecast, shipments of foldable displays will rise 44% in 2026. The market declined 12% last year. The new forecast indicates renewed interest in these devices. A total of 29 million foldable displays will be shipped during the year. The research covers the main display panels inside smartphones, not finished smartphones.

Displays for large-format foldable models will account for 44% of total shipments. These are larger, nearly square devices that open like a book. They compete with smaller clamshell foldable models. The large-format segment, which is relatively new to the market, will thus account for almost half of the total volume. Display panels and finished phones may be shipped at different times. Therefore, these figures may not correspond exactly to the number of smartphones shipped.

Interest in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 and Apple iPhone Duo models is cited as a key driver of growth. Samsung Display manufactures the display panels for both models. According to the forecast, the company's share of the foldable display market will reach 66%. The shares of other manufacturers, such as BOE, China Star, Tianma and Visionox, are expected to decline.

Demand for foldable phones remains weak in China. At the same time, more Chinese manufacturers are preparing to enter the market for large-format models. As a result, competition is expected to intensify. Huawei was the first to bring this form factor to market. Other manufacturers took longer to become convinced that it could attract broad consumer interest.

Most foldable displays produced this year will use LTPO technology. LTPO adjusts the display's refresh rate to the content being shown and manages power consumption more efficiently. Such panels are more expensive than LTPS displays. Since foldable devices are already sold at high prices, manufacturers are choosing the more advanced display type.