SINGAPORE – About 8.9 million foldable smartphones had been shipped worldwide final 12 months (2021) – a 148 per cent improve from 2020.
That is regardless of the general smartphone market rising by solely 7 per cent final 12 months, reported market analysis agency Canalys final month (February).
Foldable smartphones have versatile screens that enable customers to fold them horizontally and vertically, such because the Samsung Galaxy Flip 3 and Huawei Mate X2.
They account for about 0.7 per cent of final 12 months’s international smartphone shipments, stated Canalys in response to queries from The Straits Occasions.
The demand for foldable smartphones final 12 months primarily got here from the US, South Korea and China.
The foremost distributors are Samsung, Huawei, Lenovo, Xiaomi and Oppo.
“Contemplating launch time and international protection, Samsung has a share of greater than 90 per cent of foldable smartphone shipments in 2021,” stated Canalys.
It added in its report that the important thing issue within the rise of foldable smartphone gross sales final 12 months was the rising use of large-screen gadgets through the pandemic.
“As customers are continuously in search of a greater expertise on their day-to-day cellular gadgets, the bar has now been set even greater by the productiveness and leisure expertise on massive screens,” the agency added.
“Because the world continues to reopen, it brings new alternatives for smartphone distributors to offer merchandise corresponding to foldable smartphones that may fulfil customers’ wants and wishes.”
A examine by ST confirmed that foldable smartphones offered by official distributors in Singapore can be found from about $1,400.
However costs can rise to about $3,800, corresponding to for the Huawei Mate Xs.
In distinction, the value of an iPhone 13 Professional Max right here begins from about $1,650.