Motorola and Google are making significant moves to challenge Samsung’s dominance in the foldable smartphone market. Samsung, currently the world’s top smartphone vendor, has also secured the lead in Europe’s foldable sales. However, this achievement is overshadowed by a recent setback that raises questions about its future. 
Despite Samsung’s strong market position, the foldable segment in Europe remains relatively small, with slow growth year-on-year, according to analysts at Counterpoint Research.
Will Samsung’s reign last? It seems unlikely to fall immediately. Samsung still holds a 26 percentage point lead over Motorola as of Q1 2025, a comfortable margin, though down from the 38 percent lead it enjoyed over Honor in the first quarter of 2024. However, the rapid pace of new foldable releases from various manufacturers might soon make this lead less certain.
Motorola’s Razr 60, unveiled in April 2025, is one such model that may shift the balance, with the company’s foldable sales growing by 58% year-on-year from Q1 2024 to Q1 2025. As the Razr 60 and other models gain traction, Motorola could continue to increase its 15% market share in Europe.
Despite this, Honor, the previous number two, has struggled with a 20% sales decline between Q1 2024 and Q1 2025. Meanwhile, it has managed to fend off competition from Google, Tecno, and Xiaomi for now
. The question remains: How did the Pixel 9 Pro Fold become such a hit?
Though the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, priced from $1,799 in the US and €1,899 in Europe, is expensive, it has surprisingly boosted Google’s share in the foldable market from 2% to 8% in just one year, representing a staggering 265% growth. Can the upcoming Pixel 10 Pro Fold continue this momentum? Unlikely, but given how unpredictable the market has been, anything is possible. Even smaller players like Tecno have found success, securing a spot in Europe’s top five foldable vendors with its affordable Phantom V Fold 2.
Looking ahead, the key to success in the foldable segment may lie in offering budget-friendly models with appealing designs and strong specs. Samsung could soon face serious competition from both Motorola and Google, especially if they push beyond releasing just one premium foldable per year.