Report: iPhone Duo could give Apple a 25% share of foldable market in 2026

A new report by TrendForce suggests that Apple's upcoming iPhone Duo could secure a 24.8% share of the foldable smartphone market by the end of 2026, according to the tech analysis firm. The report comes in the wake of Apple's announcement of the dual-screen device. The company is projected to ship 5 million units of the iPhone Duo in 2026, despite a 20% drop in the foldable smartphone segment due to soaring component costs.

Globally, the foldable market is set to ship around 20.2 million units in 2026, a slight year-over-year increase of just 0.5%. Without Apple's contribution, Android brands are expected to ship only about 15.2 million units, marking a more than 20% decline year-over-year. Samsung is predicted to lead the market with a shipment of 7.1 million units and a 35.1% market share, while Huawei is expected to match Apple's projected 5 million units shipped and 24.8% share.

The report also delves into Apple's design choices for the iPhone Duo, including the omission of a periscope telephoto camera to keep the device thin and conserve internal space. Instead, the device features a 48 MP main camera with 2x optical-quality zoom and a side-mounted Touch ID sensor in place of Face ID. These design decisions highlight the ongoing trade-offs faced by foldable smartphone manufacturers in balancing device thickness, camera capabilities, biometric components, and battery space.

TrendForce concludes by speculating on the future of the foldable segment, suggesting that "deeper integration of AI and multitasking interfaces with the larger foldable display could transform the device from a hardware differentiator into a new interface for AI applications." The full report is available on TrendForce's website. For more Apple news, check out 9to5Mac on YouTube.