Smartphones that open and close like books appear finally poised to enter the mainstream with the world’s two biggest phone makers going all in on the technology.

Samsung launched the first blow in the tech battle in London on Thursday (local time), unveiling a larger line-up of smartphones with screens that flip and fold, including a new model designed to recruit more foldable fans.

But the company will face serious competition from its biggest rival, analysts say, with Apple tipped to launch its first folding iPhone within months.

The South Korean tech giant also used its event to show off future flexible screen concepts, and internet-connected smartglasses developed with Google and due later in 2026.

The announcements come after global smartphone shipments dropped slightly for all companies except Samsung and Apple, according to Omdia, as high demand for memory disrupted supplies.

Samsung revealed three folding smartphones at its Galaxy Unpacked event at Old Billingsgate in London. They included a more durable flagship folding phone backed with titanium and a shorter model shaped like a passport.

Samsung Australia mobile experience head Eric Chou said the expanded range was designed to win more consumers from standard smartphone shapes, and bring folding phones into mainstream use.

“Eight generations ago, we introduced a new category that challenged conventional smartphone design,” he said.

“Today we’re continuing to push the boundaries and prove that there is no compromise when it comes to the foldable smartphone experience.”

Samsung’s top folding phone, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, will have a slimmer and lighter body, an 20-centimetre screen unfolded, and a hinge and screen backed by titanium.

Samsung has also improved cameras in its smaller Flip8 and added a new model, the Fold8, with a shorter screen designed for social media consumption.

Samsung Australia mobile experience product head Nathan Rigger said more than half of those who bought Samsung’s last folding flagship were new to the category. The company wanted more users to make the switch.

“We’re hopeful that by the end of this year we’ll have over half a million foldable users in Australia,” he said.

“It makes sense why we’re seeing a lot more competition because you see a growing segment of the market and why wouldn’t you want a piece of that?”

Apple has been widely tipped to launch a folding iPhone later in 2026 and Creative Strategies principal analyst Carolina Milanesi said it would lend credibility to the growing sector.

The cost of the high-end phones could hold back adoption initially, she said, but that would improve with competition.

“Price point is going to be a limiting factor from a mass-market perspective,” she said.

“But you will see prices decline faster as Apple comes into the market.”

Apple’s foldable phone, tipped to be called iFold when it emerged earlier in 2026 but since dubbed the iPhone Ultra, is tipped to announced as soon as September. But questions remain about when it will ship, with concerns emerging this week about production hurdles.

MacRumors reported this week the foldable iPhone is expected to have a book-style design, an inner display of 19.5-20 centimetres, a 14-centimetre cover screen, a thickness of roughly 4.5 millimetres. It is expected to cost more than $US2000 ($A2860).

Samsung’s folding phones will launch on August 14 and will cost between $1949 and $3899. That’s a jump of as much as $350 on 2025 models.

• The writer travelled to London as a guest of Samsung

-AAP