Foldables have been a staple of the smartphone release cycle for years, with products from companies like Samsung, Motorola, and Google. Despite the refreshingly unique form factor in a sea of mobile uniformity, the vast majority of consumers still aren’t sold.
According to a CNET survey, 64% of respondents say they are neither willing nor interested in buying a foldable smartphone next year, while only 13% say they are. Another 20% are unsure if they want a foldable, and only 3% say they already own one. This comes as rumors continue to swirl about a foldable iPhone that could debut next year.
Watch this: Galaxy Z Fold 7 Review: Samsung Finally Got Foldable Right
Foldables began making a resurgence in smartphone form about six years ago, when Samsung released the first Galaxy Z Fold and Motorola brought back the iconic RAZR. Other companies like Google, Honor, Oppo, and Huawei have released their own foldable devices, from book-style iterations to scale-like versions.
There’s still one key player yet to enter the game: Apple, which has been rumored to be developing a foldable iPhone for several years. Reports say it’s working with Samsung Display to develop displays for the upcoming phone, which could cost around $2,000. It’s possible that once Apple enters the foldable space, interest will grow across the board.
“Apple’s potential entry into the market later in 2026 could really help [with] legitimizing and democratizing the category,” Thomas Husson, principal analyst at Forrester, told me in July.
A niche market
Despite the abundance of options, foldables remain a niche market. They account for less than 5% of smartphone shipments, according to a Trendforce report. But sales are expected to increase. An IDC report says foldable shipments will reach 45.7 million units worldwide by 2028, a significant increase from the 18.1 million units shipped in 2023. Still, adoption is relatively slow.
“It’s a big commitment for the average user to switch from something they rely on so much,” said Ryan Reith, group vice president of IDC’s Worldwide Device Tracker, before Samsung unpacked in early July. “Nobody wants to make a switch, especially when you’re going to make this big transition.”
That’s why companies are fighting tooth and nail to make their phones sleeker, cheaper, and more powerful—to varying degrees. Samsung’s latest Galaxy Z Fold 7 emphasizes a thinner build and a better camera, while slapping on a $2,000 price tag that will likely appeal only to tech enthusiasts or die-hard people on a budget.
Meanwhile, Motorola has focused on developing more affordable versions of its RAZR smartphones, so you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy that foldable nostalgia in 2025 and beyond. (Samsung also has a “more affordable” version of its Galaxy Z Flip 7, which starts at $900.)
Still, attracting a broader consumer base can be challenging, especially when so many people have reservations.
The barriers to buying a foldable
Some of the biggest issues preventing people from buying a foldable smartphone are high price (36%), durability concerns (31%), not understanding the advantages over a regular phone (31%), and a perceived lack of practicality (26%). Additionally, 15% of people say foldables are too bulky, 10% said their preferred brand doesn’t make a foldable yet, and 8% are concerned about subpar camera quality.
Many of these perceptions may soon change, thanks to the release of phones like the Z Fold 7, which focus on thinness, durability, and a superior camera. But other factors like a high price tag may still be a deterrent. And if you’ve sworn loyalty to another brand like Apple, there’s a chance nothing will convince you to switch to a foldable until that particular company makes one.
Resistance to buying a foldable phone is fairly consistent across age groups. Millennials are most interested in venturing into foldable territory, with 19% of respondents saying they would be interested in buying one within the next year (nostalgia undoubtedly plays a role here). They are followed by 14% of Gen Zers who would be willing to make such a purchase, 10% of Gen Xers, and 8% of Boomers.
So far, that doesn’t seem to stop phone makers from throwing their hat in the ring and seeing if they can convince buyers to give in.
Methodology
CNET commissioned YouGov Plc. to conduct the survey. All figures, unless otherwise noted, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 2,121 adults, of whom 2,064 do not own a foldable smartphone. Fieldwork was conducted between July 1 and 3, 2025. The survey was conducted online. The numbers have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (age 18+).
