Motorola has raised its share of the North American foldable smartphone market to 44%, closing in on Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) after halving the gap between the two companies in just one year.
North American foldable smartphone shipments rose 28% year-on-year in 2024, the highest growth rate among major regions, according to data released by Counterpoint Research on Tuesday.
Samsung Electronics maintained the top spot with a 50.9% market share but fell 14.7 percentage points from 65.6% a year earlier. Motorola, by contrast, surged from 30.1% to 44.1% over the same period, narrowing the gap with Samsung to just 6.8 percentage points. Google also edged up from 4.1% to 4.8%.
Clamshell-type devices — which fold vertically like a shell — drove the market expansion. Competitive pricing, stronger carrier promotions and greater visibility in brick-and-mortar stores pushed demand beyond early adopters into the mainstream consumer base.
Motorola posted the highest growth rate among major manufacturers, led by its Razr 2025 series. Analysts credited aggressive pricing and a carrier-channel-focused distribution strategy for the share gains.
Motorola was once a dominant force in the global mobile phone market. In the mid-2000s, the ultra-slim Razr flip phone sold more than 130 million units worldwide at the height of the brand's popularity. The company failed to produce a clear hit during the transition to the smartphone era, however, and went through a turbulent stretch — first being acquired by Google, then sold to China's Lenovo.
Motorola also withdrew from the South Korean market in 2013. Once fading into a nostalgic brand, the company has revived the Razr name in the foldable segment and is now shaking up what had been Samsung's home turf.
"North America shows the strongest growth trajectory among major regions," said Liz Lee, a research analyst at Counterpoint Research. "Motorola's pricing strategy and carrier partnerships, along with Google's continued investment, are driving market expansion."
Industry observers expect competition in North America to intensify further if Apple launches its first foldable smartphone in the second half of this year. If Apple enters the race alongside Samsung and Motorola, the foldable market landscape could shift significantly, analysts said.
