Entering the foldable screen battlefield, Apple's panel procurement surpasses Huawei.

Nearly seven years after the birth of foldable screen phones, the market landscape, which had been stabilizing, is about to undergo a major shift. This can already be seen in the procurement of foldable screen phone panels. A latest report from Counterpoint Research points out that 2026 will be a transitional year for brand competition in the foldable phone market. In terms of foldable phone panel procurement, Samsung is expected to rank first with a 31% share, Apple is expected to contribute about 29% of procurement in its first year, and Huawei's procurement share is expected to be about 24%. In other words, Apple will become the core variable in the foldable phone market. With the entry of Apple's first foldable phone, the foldable phone panel market will rebound from the adjustment period in 2025. According to Counterpoint data, in the full year 2026, foldable smartphone panel shipments are expected to reach approximately 27.5 million units, an increase of about 24% from 2025. Revenue is expected to reach approximately $4.4 billion, a year-on-year increase of about 48%. Counterpoint pointed out that after a moderate adjustment in 2025, foldable smartphone panel shipments will return to an expansion cycle in 2026. The growth drivers come not only from shipment recovery but also from the average selling price (ASP) increase and product structure optimization driven by high-end projects from Apple and Samsung. In addition, the growth of foldable panels in 2026 is not uniform. In the first quarter, global foldable smartphone panel shipments were about 3.9 million units, down 7% year-on-year, mainly affected by brand inventory management and fewer new product launches. The combined shipments in the third and fourth quarters will account for about 64% of the full year. Counterpoint said that this shows the full-year rebound is highly dependent on Samsung's product cycle, Apple's procurement pace, and the rapid follow-up of Chinese phone manufacturers. Against the backdrop of software and hardware innovation bottlenecks in smartphones, to achieve high-end breakthroughs, foldable screens have become the focus of major phone manufacturers in recent years, and have now passed the stage of 'niche novelty'. In the foldable phone market, the previously sustained landscape was Samsung dominating the international market and Huawei leading the domestic market. Apple, which has been late to the foldable market, now has multiple sources claiming its first foldable phone will be released in September. Also according to leaks, Apple's first foldable screen will adopt a book-style foldable form factor, with a display size of 7.5 to 7.8 inches when unfolded, using a 4:3 aspect ratio. Counterpoint points out that with Apple's entry into the foldable phone market, the market landscape will shift to being driven by the three giants Apple, Samsung, and Huawei, and in terms of product form, it will shift from cost-effective clamshell foldables to book-style foldables. Risk Warning and Disclaimer

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