Foldable smartphones remain a niche segment, accounting for just 1.5% of smartphone sales in Europe in Q1 2025. Sales only grew by 4% YoY in Q1 2025, amid ongoing concerns around price, durability and use cases.Samsung still led the market, despite losing significant share since Q1 2024 amid increasing competition from multiple vendors.Motorola overtook HONOR to become Europe’s second-largest foldable smartphone vendor. Google, Xiaomi and TECNO also grew well over the year following the launches of some impressive devices.Samsung is expected to launch its latest foldable smartphones in July and has teased an Ultra variant to compete with HONOR for the title of the slimmest book-type foldable available in Europe.Increased competition in the foldables segment is key to driving innovation, which will, in turn, hopefully result in a drop in prices and faster future growth.London, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Fort Collins, Hong Kong, New Delhi, Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo – June 9, 2025Europe foldable smartphone sales grew 4% YoY in Q1 2025 to account for just 1.5% of the total smartphone sales in the region, further illustrating foldables as a niche segment, according to Counterpoint Research Global Handset Model Sales Tracker.Commenting on the flatlining growth, Counterpoint Research Associate Director Jan Stryjak said, “For an emerging segment supposedly in its early growth stage, 4% YoY growth is a worrying sign. Despite all the attention new foldable devices receive, they are still too expensive for mass-market appeal. Further, most consumers are still not sure what a foldable phone is for, and many still have concerns about the durability and longevity of the devices.”Nevertheless, competition has increased markedly over the last year. While Samsung remained the clear leader in Q1 2025, other vendors have grown considerably. Motorola overtook HONOR to become Europe’s second-largest foldable smartphone vendor in Q1 2025, largely due to its more affordable Razr 50 flip phones. Google, Xiaomi and TECNO also saw robust growth over the year following the launches of some impressive devices, some also at more attractive price points.Stryjak added, “However, Europe’s foldable market is changing. Samsung dominated for a long time with devices that did not seem to change much year on year, but other vendors have released some fantastic models, for example, the HONOR Magic V3, the Motorola Razr 50, the Google Pixel 9 Fold and even the TECNO Phantom V Fold 2. These devices are bringing the fight to Samsung in Europe. Increased competition is always a good thing, driving innovation and pushing down prices. And Samsung has taken note, teasing the launch of an Ultra variant of its upcoming Galaxy Fold7 series. This will hopefully give the segment the shot in the arm it needs.”BackgroundCounterpoint Research is a global market research firm specializing in products across the technology ecosystem. We advise a diverse range of clients – from smartphone OEMs to chipmakers and channel players to Big Tech – through our offices located in the world's major innovation hubs, manufacturing clusters and commercial centers. Our analyst team, led by seasoned experts, engages with stakeholders across the enterprise – from the C-suite to professionals in strategy, analyst relations (AR), market intelligence (MI), business intelligence (BI), product and marketing – to deliver services spanning market data, industry thought leadership and consulting. Our core areas of coverage include AI, Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Displays, eSIM, IoT, Location Platforms, Macroeconomics, Manufacturing, Networks and Infrastructure, Semiconductors, Smartphones and Wearables. Visit our Insights page to explore our publicly available market data, insights and thought leadership, and to understand our focus, meet our analysts and start a conversation.Follow Counterpoint Researchpress@counterpointresearch.com