Apple launches into foldable market as iPhone Duo sales begin

• Apple has entered the foldable phone market with the iPhone Duo, which went on sale on Oct 23 and drew strong demand, with delivery dates slipping to late January.
• Early reviews praise the Duo’s design and hinge, but note camera limits and app changes. Some reviewers say it feels like a polished prototype, not a finished product.
• Apple faces tight supply in many countries, but IDC says its entry could widen foldable adoption. IDC expects Apple to lead the market by 2027 in both value and units.

SYDNEY – Sales of Apple’s first folding phone, the iPhone Duo, began on Oct 23, with market watchers betting on whether the device can reinvent the small foldables market just like the iPhone did for smartphones.

The Duo’s reception could prove an early test for new chief executive John Ternus, the former hardware chief who unveiled the phone barely a week after taking charge in September.

It could also have large implications for a niche category in which rivals such as Samsung Electronics and Huawei Technologies have sold premium ​offerings for several years.

Within minutes of pre-orders opening on Oct 16, Apple’s estimated delivery dates for the Duo slipped to late January as demand outpaced supply.

The US company called the response from customers “nothing short of extraordinary”.

With the massive demand, Apple capped pre-orders at two handsets per customer and limited sales significantly for walk-in shoppers, resulting in muted crowds that contrasted with the hype that typically accompanied new iPhone releases.

In China, France, Hong Kong, India and Japan, units were available only to customers who ordered online.

In Sydney, at the first Apple store to sell the phones on Oct 23, a queue of customers formed outside before opening at 8am.

Simon Krishnan, a 48-year-old engineer, paid A$3,899 (S$3,500) for a Duo with 512GB memory.

“This is a bit of a luxury item for me because it’s so expensive. But I just think, you know what? Life’s too short,” he said.

In China, a soft consumer market combined with memory costs pushing prices higher has led to six straight quarters of declines in smartphone shipments.

Apple’s market share, however, has rebounded as some phone buyers trade up to premium devices while others seek value at the lower end of the market, putting pressure on mid-range brands.

Liu Wei, a 26-year-old healthcare worker, already has a foldable phone from Xiaomi, but still queued outside a central Shanghai Apple store at 6am to get his hands on Apple’s first foldable.

“I’ve used Apple products for many years, and I have more trust (in the brand), so I bought one on launch day to try it out,” he said.

In Hong Kong, May, 38, who declined to give his full name for privacy reasons, secured a 256GB iPhone Duo, which retails for HK$17,499 (S$2,900), during an online pre-sale and aimed to resell it for a profit of around HK$4,000.

“A few meals’ worth of money,” he joked.

Mixed reviews

Early reviews have praised the Duo’s design as well as its sturdy and barely visible hinge – a major feat for phones whose prominent creased screen has long been a drawback and potential deterrent for buyers.

But reviewers have said camera compromises, including the absence of a telephoto lens and third-party apps that still need to be reworked for the new display size, could disappoint some buyers.

They have also said the Duo in its smaller, folded state is less handy for everyday tasks than standard iPhones, with several prominent reviewers advising average Apple customers against buying the device.

“It’s been a lot of fun trying the Duo out for a week, but it feels like I’ve gotten to use an extraordinarily polished prototype – not a finished product I’d want to buy and carry,” long-time Apple commentator John Gruber, author of the blog Daring Fireball, wrote in a review.

Tech commentator Marques Brownlee, popularly known as MKBHD, said in a YouTube review that “if you’re just a regular person who doesn’t do much more than texting, social media and browsing here and there, then it is probably a no.

“But if the US$2,000 doesn’t mean much to you, and you like the idea, after the learning curve and getting used to not having facial identification, it is a really fun phone.”

Tough to find

The limited supplies could disappoint Apple fans lining up in front of stores to buy the Duo.

Apple told Reuters that walk-in availability would vary by country, with limited stocks in the US, Australia, Canada, Mexico and much of Britain and Europe.

Market researcher IDC vice-president Francisco Jeronimo said: “Foldables have been an established category for years, but adoption has remained relatively limited compared with conventional smartphones. Apple’s entry could bring the format to a much broader audience.”

IDC expects Apple to take 44% of the foldable value in 2026, with 31% of foldable units. By 2027, it will become the market leader in the category in both value and units shipped, IDC forecast.

“Apple has made a convincing case for this form factor,” Jeronimo said after spending a week with the passport-shaped Duo.

“Now comes the next test: turning excitement into availability, adoption and a lasting new chapter for the smartphone market.” REUTERS