Apple Enters Foldable Phone Market with iPhone Duo Sales

Sales of Apple's first folding phone, the iPhone Duo, began on Friday, marking a significant entry by the company into the small foldables market. The launch serves as an early test for new CEO John Ternus, who unveiled the device in September just a week after taking charge.

The entry into this niche category carries large implications, where rivals such as Samsung Electronics and Huawei Technologies have offered premium devices for several years. Within minutes of pre-orders opening, estimated delivery dates for the Duo slipped to late January as demand outpaced supply. Apple described the customer response as extraordinary.

Queues formed outside Apple stores ahead of opening times in locations such as Sydney. Early reviews noted that the device features a sturdy and barely visible hinge, addressing a long-standing drawback of prominent creases in foldable screens. However, reviewers also highlighted compromises, including the absence of a telephoto lens, the lack of facial identification, and third-party applications that still require updates to fit the new display size.

Several commentators pointed out that the device's folded state is less convenient for quick tasks compared to standard iPhones. Longtime Apple commentator John Gruber described the device as an extraordinarily polished prototype rather than a finished product for everyday carry. Similarly, tech commentator Marques Brownlee suggested the phone may not suit users looking for a practical daily device unless budget is not a constraint.

Limited supplies affected availability across several regions. Walk-in availability varied by country, with limited stock in the US, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Britain, and Europe, while units in China, France, Hong Kong, India, and Japan were restricted to online orders. In Macau, fans queued hours in advance for walk-in purchases.

Market research firm IDC projects that Apple will capture 44 per cent of the foldable value in 2026 on 31 per cent of units, eventually becoming the market leader in both value and units shipped by 2027. Francisco Jeronimo, vice president at IDC, noted that Apple's entry could introduce the foldable format to a much broader audience, though turning initial excitement into sustained adoption remains the next challenge.

"Apple's entry into the foldable smartphone segment demonstrates how major industry players validate emerging form factors once the technology matures. Even with initial hardware compromises and supply constraints, a brand of this scale instantly expands the addressable market for niche categories. For the broader tech and hardware ecosystem, this signals a shift from early experimentation to mainstream commercial viability, forcing competitors to accelerate their innovation pipelines." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes