Slim designs increase foldability in China…

Counterpoint Research cited more use cases and thinner models as evidence of increased interest in larger foldable devices in the Chinese market, where first-quarter sales nearly doubled year-over-year.

The analytics firm said sales of foldable book-like models rose 91 percent, while clamshell models fell 1 percent. The overall foldable car market in the country grew by 48 percent.

Counterpoint Research noted that the screen size on larger foldable devices provides “better multitasking capabilities by allowing users to run multiple applications simultaneously and switch between them more efficiently,” describing it as providing a more tablet-like experience.

Huawei was recognized as a market leader and its performance was boosted by the launch of the first 5G-enabled foldable devices in September 2023 and earlier this year.

The analytics firm also pointed to Honor and other launches featuring lightweight and slim designs that are then sold at what it calls a “fair price.”

Counterpoint Research did not disclose unit sales numbers, but noted that it expects sales of foldable smartphones to continue to grow in China, predicting that the form factor will remain a bright spot in the domestic smartphone market.