Apple iPhone Duo Faces Uphill Battle in Foldable Phone Market
Apple has entered the foldable phone market with its iPhone Duo, but it's starting at a higher price point and later availability than Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8. The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 and will be available on October 23, while the Galaxy Z Fold8 starts at $1,899.99 and has been available since August 7. This means that Samsung has an 11-week head start over Apple in this market.
TrendForce estimates that Apple will ship around 5 million foldables in 2026, which is roughly 24.8% of the global market. In contrast, Samsung's brand-wide foldable shipments are estimated to be around 7.1 million, or 35.1%. This means that Apple is still a major player in this market, but it's behind Samsung.
Samsung has several advantages over Apple in this market, including a lower starting price and earlier availability. The Galaxy Z Fold8 also weighs less than the iPhone Duo, at around 201g compared to 254g. However, Apple is focusing on concentration with its single product, which it hopes will redirect an installed base into this new form factor.
TrendForce estimates that the whole foldable market will reach only 20.2 million units in 2026, up a mere 0.5% year over year. This means that Apple is not just expanding a fast-growing category, but it's also taking a large slice of a nearly flat one.