Huawei continues to lead China's foldable smartphone market, but Honor is narrowing the gap.
According to IDC figures for the first quarter of 2026, shared by Honor Global CMO Guan Haitao on Weibo, Huawei holds a 60% share of the foldable segment.
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Honor ranks second with 21%, driven by its Magic V series.
Other brands lag significantly. Oppo captured 6%, while vivo and Xiaomi accounted for 5% and 4%, respectively.
Together, Huawei and Honor control over 80% of the market.
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Huawei's dominance is expected, given strong demand for its Mate and Pura foldables and the growth of its HarmonyOS ecosystem.
In Q3 2025, Huawei's share was near 70%.
Honor's progress is notable.
Its share nearly doubled from 11.2% in Q3 2025, helped by devices like the Magic V6, which features a slim design and flagship hardware.
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China's overall smartphone market declined 3.3% year-over-year in Q1 to about 69 million units, due to higher component costs and supply-chain pressures.
Foldables, however, continue to outperform. Consumer interest in premium devices remains strong, with manufacturers improving thinness, crease visibility, and battery life.
Industry data from late 2025 showed foldable shipments reached 2.63 million units in Q3, up 17.8% year-over-year, and that momentum has continued into 2026.
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Honor acknowledged the rankings with a "Learn from the best" post on social media, referencing its rival Huawei.
