Apple will sell 6 million iPhone Duos in 2026, Counterpoint says

Apple anticipates selling approximately six million units of its inaugural foldable device, the iPhone Duo, in 2026 according to Counterpoint Research. This estimate, the first of its kind, hinges on the company's ability to scale up production of the new hardware. The iPhone Duo, priced at S$1,999 and set for release in October, occupies a premium position in the Apple product lineup, offering hope for a surge in interest and sales of foldable smartphones.

IDC predicts a 13% growth in foldable shipments to 22.9 million units this year, with Apple's contribution pivotal. The iPhone Duo's debut coincides with the launch of Apple's iPhone 18 Pro family, which has made a strong start in China. Unlike previous releases, the Pro models were launched without a base-model upgrade, nudging customers toward the higher-priced variants and resulting in a 12% sales increase compared to the iPhone 17 Pro's initial sales.

This performance stands out in China's smartphone market, where Apple now holds a 33% share, a remarkable achievement considering the usual parity with competitors like Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi. Nevertheless, Apple's success is bolstered by the industry-wide trend of price hikes, aiming to offset sluggish unit sales through higher revenue per unit.