The smartphone market has been experiencing a remarkable surge in recent years, with the emergence of new technologies and innovative designs captivating consumers around the world. Among the most talked-about advancements is the foldable smartphone, which has seen steady growth in shipments over the past year. However, a recent report by Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) indicates a decline in sales during the fourth quarter of 2022.
According to the report, foldable smartphone shipments fell by 48% compared to the previous quarter and 26% compared to the same period in 2021, with a total of 3.1 million units shipped from October to December 2022. Despite this setback, foldable phone shipments for the entire year rose by an impressive 62%, reaching 12.9 million units.
Samsung continued to dominate the foldable phone market in 2022, with an 83% market share. This was a slight dip from the third quarter’s 86% and a significant drop from the 96% share that the company held in the fourth quarter of 2021. The decline was attributed to a 50% drop in the shipment volume of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4, which were released during the previous quarter.
The report also noted that Apple’s recently released iPhone 14 series overshadowed Samsung’s foldable phones in the fourth quarter of 2022. Huawei and Oppo followed Samsung in the global foldable phone market, while the Galaxy Z Flip was the top-selling foldable phone worldwide, with a 47% market share.
DSCC predicts a continued soft trend in foldable shipments during the current quarter, with a 3% decline in year-over-year deliveries of foldable handsets worldwide. However, this trend is expected to reverse in the second quarter of 2023, with the release of new foldable phones from Samsung and Vivo. Additionally, Oppo and Vivo are set to launch clamshell models in more markets at more affordable prices later this year. DSCC anticipates total foldable shipments to surpass 17 million units worldwide in 2023.
Samsung Display remains the leading display supplier in the foldable phone market, responsible for 81% of foldable displays used in the fourth quarter of 2022, followed by Chinese supplier BOE at 17%. Despite this, DSCC predicts Samsung will maintain or grow its share of foldable display shipments in 2023, with a forecasted growth of over 20 million units in the upcoming year.
In conclusion, while there was a dip in foldable phone sales in the fourth quarter of 2022, the market is expected to bounce back in the coming months, with new models set to be released by major manufacturers. The foldable phone market remains an exciting and rapidly evolving space that will undoubtedly continue to captivate consumers in the years to come.
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(Via)
