Samsung started selling the first foldable phones in 2019, and almost five years later, foldables only make up about 1% of the smartphone market, and almost all of them are made by Samsung. The Korean tech giant was the undisputed leader and then 2023 rolled around. Google released the Pixel Fold, a capable but toasty foldable to rival Samsung. Then OnePlus released its first foldable, and the OnePlus Open is arguably a better piece of hardware than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. Motorola has also revived its clamshell Razr line.
But don’t weep for Samsung; competition is what foldables need to be viable.