Apple's iPhone Duo Priced Out of Reach for Canadians

Apple's new foldable iPhone Duo has sparked controversy in Canada after its pricing was revealed to be significantly higher than the US version. The phone starts at $2,999 CAD in Canada, which is about $241 CAD or 8.7% more than a straight currency conversion of the US price.

The comparison between the Duo and the iPhone 18 Pro shows that both phones have a Canadian premium, but the Duo's pricing is higher. If Apple applied the same Canadian-to-US pricing ratio to the Duo as it did to the 18 Pro, the foldable phone would cost approximately $2,916 CAD, which is about $83 CAD below its actual price.

The source of the controversy lies in the exchange rate used by Apple. While the Bank of Canada's daily rate put the dollar at roughly 72.5 U.S. cents on September 9, when Apple announced the phone, the company's implied exchange rate is approximately $1.50 CAD per U.S. dollar.

This higher exchange rate adds up to a significant difference in price for Canadian buyers. The Canadian dollar was almost unchanged from last year, and the recent surge in memory prices may have contributed to the increase in pricing for both phones.