Foldable smartphones, including the recently released iPhone Duo, are gaining popularity, particularly in Asia and specifically in China. A recent report from Ookla Speedtest provides insights that may aid consumers in choosing between foldable and traditional smartphones.
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The data reveals that foldable phones tend to deliver faster mobile data speeds compared to conventional models. Tests conducted on devices with similar processors, including the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy S26 Ultra, showed that foldable models achieved higher download and upload speeds on mobile networks.
However, this performance improvement is coupled with increased heat generation. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 recorded the highest temperatures among the models tested, while both the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra exceeded the battery temperatures of their predecessors.
The report suggests that the thinner designs of newer foldable devices and the elimination of internal cooling chambers may be contributing factors to these higher temperatures. Manufacturers face significant engineering challenges in maintaining thermal performance while creating slimmer devices.
The findings also highlighted some variations in signal quality. Under normal signal conditions, foldable smartphones generally performed slightly worse than traditional models. For instance, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 exhibited the weakest signal performance. Nonetheless, it demonstrated better performance than its standard counterpart under unstable network conditions. These differences were minor and likely have minimal impact on most users.
Overall, the results underscore advancements in mobile connectivity for foldable phones while noting that thermal management and manufacturing costs continue to pose challenges as the industry pushes for thinner and more powerful designs. Despite their advancements, foldable phones still represent a small segment of the smartphone market, accounting for only 1.4% of devices in use globally. Counterpoint predicts a 20% increase in foldable smartphone sales by 2026, although the category would still constitute only about 2% of the global market.
With the introduction of Apple’s iPhone Duo into this segment, competition is expected to escalate, while Samsung maintains a dominant position in the foldable market.