In 2024, China’s foldable smartphone market experienced a 27% year-on-year growth, with Huawei leading the market. According to Counterpoint Research’s Q4 2024 China Foldable Smartphone Tracker, China’s foldable smartphone sales increased by 27% compared to the previous year, continuing their rapid growth but at a slower pace. Huawei dominated the market, accounting for half of the foldable sales, while HONOR was the only other major player with a double-digit market share. The top five best-selling foldable smartphones accounted for more than 50% of foldable sales in China, with Huawei and HONOR each securing two spots and vivo one. The popularity of book-type foldables dwarfs that of clamshell-type foldables in China, with 67% of the foldables purchased being book-type.
Huawei’s strong brand equity has solidified its dominance in China’s foldable segment. Its bestsellers spanned both book-type and clamshell-type foldables, with the Mate X5 and X6 leading the book-type category, while the Pocket 2 and Nova Flip were top performers among clamshell designs. HONOR’s Magic Vs 2 and Vs 3 series, known for their thin design and lightweight build, contributed significantly to its market share. In contrast, other major Chinese OEMs and Samsung held single-digit market shares.
The Chinese market shows a clear preference for book-type foldables, which accounted for over 67% of foldable sales, compared to 23% for clamshell-type devices. This trend aligns with Counterpoint’s China Consumer Study, indicating that consumers favour the larger screen real estate and versatility offered by book-type foldables. Improvements in durability, hinge mechanisms, and overall user experience have also bolstered consumer confidence in adopting these devices.
Despite the impressive growth, the foldable smartphone market remains a niche segment, representing about 3% of China’s total smartphone market. To attract more consumers to this premium form factor, manufacturers will need to introduce innovative use cases and continue enhancing the value proposition of foldable devices.