Samsung Gains Market Share in U.S. as Foldable Phones Challenge Apple’s Dominance

Samsung is chipping away at Apple's longstanding dominance in the U.S. smartphone market, fueled by its innovative foldable devices. According to Canalys, Apple's market share dropped from 56% to 49% in Q2 2025, while Samsung surged from 23% to 31%. The shift marks the first significant challenge to Apple's home-turf supremacy in over a decade.

The battleground is screen technology. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip, and S25 Edge are driving demand with their foldable displays—a category Apple has yet to enter. A viral livestream of the Z Fold 7 enduring 200,000 folds garnered over 15 million YouTube views, while social sentiment analysis shows 83% neutral-to-positive mentions for Samsung's flagship devices.

Drew Blackard, Samsung Electronics America's VP of mobile product management, asserts foldables have eliminated traditional compromises. The momentum echoes 2014, when Samsung's early bet on large screens pressured Apple into releasing the iPhone 6. This time, the innovation gap appears wider.