Samsung's foldable smartphone market share to top 80 pct this year: report

SEOUL, Sept. 16 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. is expected to dominate the global foldable smartphone market this year, a report showed Wednesday, as its Chinese rival Huawei Technologies Co. struggles to launch a new foldable handset.

Samsung's market share in the foldable smartphone market is projected to be more than 80 percent, according to industry tracker Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC).

"This is higher than previously forecast due to their success along with Huawei's inability to launch the Mate X2 as a result of U.S. government restrictions," said Ross Young, who heads DSCC.

The Mate X2 foldable smartphone was expected to be unveiled in October, but the U.S. restrictions, which make it difficult for Huawei to get key components for its products, apparently forced the Chinese tech firm to revise its plan.

Samsung unveiled two new foldable handsets this year: the Galaxy Z Flip in February and the Galaxy Z Fold 2 this month.

DSCC said the vertically folding Galaxy Z Flip will be the bestselling foldable smartphone in 2020, followed by the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and the Motorola Razr.

DSCC estimated that clamshell smartphones, such as the Galaxy Z Flip and the Motorola Razr, are to account for a 60 percent share of smartphone panels with their lower price points and also with the Huawei issue.

It also predicted that the shipment of ultra-thin glass (UTG), currently used for display cover windows for the Galaxy Z Flip and the Galaxy Z Fold 2, will easily beat that of colorless polyimide (CPI) film, with more than an 80 percent market share.

In terms of mobile application processors for foldable handsets, DSCC said Qualcomm Technologies Inc.'s Snapdragon 855 Plus chipset will have a 95 percent share in the foldable market this year.

Analysts here said Samsung's foldable smartphone sales may reach 3-4 million units this year.

kdon@yna.co.kr
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