In a dynamic shift within the U.S smartphone market, Samsung is steadily carving out a larger slice of the pie, challenging Apple’s long-standing dominance.
The rise of foldable phones, with their innovative designs and cutting-edge features, is fueling Samsung’s momentum
With shipments surging in the second quarter and market share climbing from 23% to 31%, according to Canalys.
Over the same period, Apple’s share slipped from 56% to 49%, signaling renewed competition between the two tech giants. However, the Cupertino giant remains top of the U.S. smartphone market, taking new smartphone sales in the U.S. Also globally, the tech giant is often in second place around the global smartphone market, but recent slips point out turbulence for the company.
A decade ago, the Apple-Samsung battle was defined by screen size. Samsung’s large-display phones pushed Apple to introduce the iPhone 6 in 2014, a turning point that helped the iPhone dominate. Today, the rivalry has resurfaced, this time centered on foldable screens.
Recall that last month, Samsung launched two new foldable models, the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which transforms into a tablet, and the Z Flip, a modern take on the classic flip phone. The Galaxy Z Fold7 is Samsung’s slimmest, lightest, and most durable smartphone yet in the Samsung folding phone series, featuring the latest Galaxy AI1 and Google Gemini2.
On the other hand, the Galaxy Z Flip7 FE combines the stylish flip phone design of the Galaxy Z Flip7 with impressive specs, Galaxy AI1, and Google Gemini2. Both devices, along with the slim Galaxy S25 Edge, have gained traction on social media, boosted by viral durability tests and overwhelmingly positive user sentiment.
CNBC reports that in the past month, Samsung’s premium devices, including the Z Fold 7, were mentioned over 50,000 times on social media, and 83% of those mentions were positive or neutral, according to data from Sprout Social, a social media analytics company.
Analysts say Apple is preparing to answer back with a slimmer iPhone expected next month and potentially its first foldable model in 2026. The report claims there will be no “iPhone 18” base model in 2026, breaking a tradition that has seen Apple launch four flagship variants every fall. Instead, the company is expected to introduce the iPhone 18 Air, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its first foldable iPhone.
The foldable iPhone is expected to be the highlight of the 2026 lineup, with reports estimating a retail price between $2,000 and $2,500, making it Apple’s most expensive iPhone yet. The company is said to be betting that premium buyers will flock to the new form factor, even as it shifts the more affordable models into a different release window. JPMorgan Chase analyst Samik Chatterjee noted that investor attention is already shifting toward the anticipated iPhone 18 lineup, which may debut Apple’s first foldable device.
Despite Samsung’s recent momentum helped by product diversity, tariffs reshaping shipments, and strong social buzz, Apple still leads the U.S. market with nearly half of all smartphone sales. However, its recent slip has weighed on investor confidence, with Apple shares down 7.5% this year, while Samsung’s stock has climbed 35% in 2025.
With Samsung’s launch of foldable phones and Apple’s plans to roll out its own foldable devices, it is gradually bringing back the flip phone era, which gained popularity in the early 2000s. Tech experts said the new product launch probably reflected the fact that people now mostly access the internet on their phones, rather than laptops or tablets, and are looking for a device that optimises that experience.
With Apple reporting a 13% year-over-year increase in iPhone sales in July 2025, and Samsung pushing the envelope on design innovation, the Apple-Samsung fight for smartphone dominance has reignited once again, and this time, it’s all about the screen.
