The Market Is Ready For Foldables—But Not Yet Convinced

Mark N. Vena, CEO and Principal Analyst, SmartTech Research.

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A new SmartTech Research's quantitative survey conducted in May 2026 shows that foldable smartphones are gaining real consumer traction, moving past early-adopter experimentation into a credible next-phone option—especially with Apple's rumored market entry.

Out of 531 total respondents who lived in the United States, 320 answered the core purchase consideration question and 291 completed deeper foldable queries. The topline finding is clear: Consumers are increasingly open to foldables, but they require stronger proof regarding value, durability and price.

Nearly 58.4% of respondents are very or somewhat open to considering a foldable for their next purchase, while only 21.3% are not very open or not open at all.

Interest is much higher than ownership.

While only 19.2% of respondents currently own a foldable, nearly six in 10 would consider one as their next phone, showing that foldables are now part of mainstream consideration. This shift is notable in a slow smartphone market focused on incremental features. Foldables stand out with their transformative form factor.

However, interest doesn't equal automatic purchase intent. The biggest barriers are high price (cited by 24.1% of respondents) and durability concerns (22.0%). Consumers understand the appeal; they just need fewer reasons to hesitate.

Apple could make foldables feel mainstream.

Apple's potential entry could directly boost consumer confidence in foldables. When asked whether the presence of an Apple foldable would influence their buying decision, 60.5% of respondents said it would increase their confidence in purchasing a foldable smartphone. Only 7.2% would remain skeptical, suggesting Apple's involvement could legitimize the category and sway hesitant consumers.

Apple doesn't need to be the first to enter the foldables market for them to go mainstream. However, its strengths—such as consumer trust, cohesive ecosystem, extensive retail footprint and product refinement—position Apple to significantly move the market.

The survey shows that 32.6% of surveyed consumers said they were waiting for Apple before seriously considering a foldable, indicating Apple's power to influence mainstream acceptance. Meanwhile, 20.3% preferred Apple but would not automatically buy a foldable iPhone, while 16.5% stated that their hesitation stemmed from being Apple users who wanted to stay within an ecosystem that currently lacks a foldable.

Apple has an opening but also a burden of proof. A foldable iPhone must feel useful, durable and worth the premium.

The real appeal is screen utility.

The strongest consumer appeal is screen utility, not novelty. When asked which benefits matter most, respondents prioritized practical enhancements:

• Larger screen for video, browsing and reading (39.9%)

• Better multitasking (19.6%)

• A tablet-like experience in a pocketable device (15.8%)

Winning marketing must focus on how the device improves watching, reading, working and multitasking rather than just the folding mechanism itself.

Price will dictate how fast this message converts to sales. When asked the highest price they would pay for a foldable that clearly delivered superior benefits, 38.1% said under $1,500 and 18.2% said $1,500 to $1,799. Only 21.3% would consider prices at or above $2,000. An ultra-premium price point could generate buzz for Apple but severely limit mainstream adoption.​

Foldables could pressure small tablets.

More than 55.7% of respondents find the argument that a foldable could replace both a phone and a small tablet convincing (25.4% very convincing, 30.2% somewhat convincing). Only 20.3% find it unconvincing.

This could specifically pose a strategic tension for Apple, as 77.3% of respondents use a tablet, and Apple's iPad dominates this mix:

• Standard iPad: 36.4%

• iPad mini: 12.7%

• iPad Pro: 12.7%

A foldable iPhone could expand Apple's phone franchise but pressure its own tablet business, particularly the iPad mini and standard iPad.​

Device makers must prove the foldable use case.

​The bigger takeaway from our foldable smartphone research isn't just what Apple should do but what the entire tech industry needs to understand about mainstream adoption. Consumers aren't rejecting foldables because the concept lacks appeal. They're waiting for clearer utility, stronger durability proof points, more compelling price-value economics and better ecosystem integration.

For Apple, Samsung, Google and other device makers, the path forward is to stop selling foldables as futuristic hardware and start positioning them as practical, everyday productivity and entertainment tools that solve real screen-size pain.​​​ The market is healthier than current ownership numbers suggest.

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