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Apple and Samsung Will Go Head-to-Head in Foldable Smartphones. This Could Matter More.

Dec 02, 2025 08:27:00 -0500 by Adam Clark | #Technology

Foldable smartphones currently represent less than 2% of the total market. (Photograph by David Paul Morris/Bloomberg)

Key Points

Apple is widely expected to launch a foldable iPhone next year, going up against Samsung Electronics which is bringing its own triple-folding device to the U.S. in 2026. But artificial-intelligence features could be more important when it comes to smartphone sales.

Apple has been slow to enter the world of foldable devices, despite having patents on such technology for more than a decade. Now the iPhone maker is preparing to launch the first foldable iPhone late next year, according to The Wall Street Journal and another media report.

It could be coming late to the party. Samsung is bringing its Galaxy Z TriFold to the U.S. as early as the first quarter of 2026, after it goes on sale in South Korea and elsewhere this month. It will be the first multi-folding phone to be released globally. Samsung hasn’t announced the price for American customers yet, but in South Korea the phone will start at around $2,445.

“When [the] Galaxy Z TriFold opens, the screen performs similarly to three 6.5-inch smartphones across the 10-inch display, giving users more room to multitask during their day,” Samsung said in a statement on Tuesday.

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Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst for TF International Securities known for watching the Apple supply chain, previously said he expects a foldable iPhone—which is expected to have a single fold—to arrive toward the end of 2026 and cost between $2,000 and $2,500.

Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment early on Tuesday. It hasn’t announced any new models, and typically doesn’t discuss those it hasn’t unveiled.

Larger screens are becoming increasingly important for users who watch a lot of video on their smartphones. Still, foldable smartphones remain a niche product due to their higher costs, with just a 1.6% share of the overall market, according to research firm TrendForce.

A recent survey carried out by analysts at KeyBanc found that while 45% of iPhone users were interested in a foldable device, 65% of respondents indicated they only consider a purchase at a price point of less than $1,500, with 35% interested above $1,500, and just 13% willing to buy at a price of over $2,000.

A more important question could be whether Apple matches Samsung’s advances in artificial intelligence. Samsung said the Galaxy Z TriFold will be powered by Google’s Gemini AI, which will understand what users see, say and do. Apple is also set to use Gemini to power an updated version of its digital-assistant Siri from next year, according to Bloomberg.

On Monday, Apple announced the retirement of John Giannandrea, the iPhone maker’s senior vice president in charge of AI strategy. He will be replaced by Amar Subramanya, who is joining from Microsoft as Apple’s vice president of AI, a rung lower than Giannandrea in the company’s organizational chart.

“We believe that this was a major reset while expecting more outside hires from [Apple CEO Tim] Cook & Co. to get Apple on the right track when it comes to AI while further preparing the company for its AI Siri launch by mid 2026,” wrote Wedbush analyst Dan Ives in a research note on Tuesday.

Ives reiterated an Outperform rating and $320 target price on Apple stock, arguing the AI monetization piece could add $75 to $100 per share over the next years.

Apple shares were up 1.0% at $285.98 in morning trading Tuesday. The stock has gained 23% over the past three months, boosted by strong initial sales of the iPhone 17.

Write to Adam Clark at adam.clark@barrons.com