CNET Survey: 64% of People Still Don’t Want a Foldable Smartphone

Foldables have been a must in the smartphones release cycle for years now, with business products like Samsung, Motorola and Google. Despite the refreshing and unique form factor in a sea of mobile uniformity, the vast majority of consumers are still not sold.

According to a CNET survey, 64% of respondents say they are not ready or interested in buying a foldable smartphone in the next year, while only 13% say they are. 20% additional do not know if they want a foldable, and only 3% say they already have one.

Look at this: Galaxy Z Fold 7 Review: Samsung finally nailed the foldable

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The foldables began to make an resurgence in the form of a smartphone about six years ago, when Samsung released the first Galaxy Z Fold and Motorola brought back the emblematic Razr. Other companies such as Google, Honor, Oppo and Huawei have published their own foldable devices, from book style iterations to those of valve.

There is still a key player who has not yet entered the game: Apple, who has been denounced an iPhone foldable for several years now. The reports indicate that it works with Samsung Display to develop screens for this upcoming phone. It is possible that Apple enters the foldable space, interest will develop at all levels.

“Apple’s potential entry into the market later in 2026 could indeed help [with] Legitimer and democratize the category, “said Thomas Husson, main analyst of Forrester, earlier this month.

A niche market

Despite the quantity of options, foldables remain a niche market. They represent less than 5% of smartphones shipments, according to a TrendForce report. But sales should increase. An IDC report indicates that foldable shipments will reach 45.7 million units worldwide by 2028, a significant increase compared to the 18.1 million units sent in 2023. However, the adoption is relatively slow.

“It is a fairly important commitment to the average user to change something on which he depends so much,” said Ryan Reith, vice-president of the group to trac the world IDC device, before Samsung unpacked in early July. “No one wants a compromise, especially when you are going to make this great transition.”

This is why companies are fighting tooth and nails to make their phone more elegant, cheaper and more powerful – to various degrees. The latest Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 emphasizes a thinner construction and a better camera, while gutting a price of $ 2,000 which will probably only have attached for pure and hard technology or people without strict budgetary constraints.

Motorola, meanwhile, focused on the development of more favorable versions of a budget for its Razr smartphones, so you don’t have to break the bank to draw from this foldable nostalgia in 2025 and beyond. (Samsung also has a “more affordable” version of its Galaxy Z Flip 7 which starts at $ 900).

However, attractive a wider consumer base can be difficult, especially when so many people have reservations.

Obstacles to the purchase of a foldable

Some of the biggest problems preventing people from buying a foldable smartphone are high prices (36%), sustainability problems (31%), and not including advantages compared to an ordinary phone (31%) and a lack of perceived practice (26%). In addition, 15% of people say that foldables are too large, 10% said that their favorite brand was not yet folding and that 8% are concerned about the quality of the lower camera.

Many of these perceptions could soon change, thanks to the release of phones such as Z Fold 7, which focuses on thinness, sustainability and a superior quality camera. But other factors such as a high price can always be an obstacle. And if you have sworn allegiance to another brand like Apple, it is not possible that nothing convinces you to move to a foldable until this specific company makes one. It is the power of the brand’s allegiance.

Resistance to the purchase of a foldable phone is quite consistent between age groups. Millennials are the most eager to venture into a foldable territory, with 19% of respondents saying that they would be interested in buying one next year (nostalgia undoubtedly plays a role here). They are followed by 14% of the ZERS generation which would be willing to make this purchase, 10% of the Xers generation and 8% of baby boomers.

So far, this does not seem to prevent telephone manufacturers from putting their hat in the ring and seeing if they can convince buyers to fold.

Methodology

CNET ordered Yougov PLC. To conduct the investigation. All figures, unless otherwise indicated, come from Yougov Plc. The total size of the sample was 2,121 adults, 2,064 of which do not have a foldable smartphone. The field work was undertaken between July 1 and 3, 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all American adults (18 and over).