Apple’s iPhone Duo has entered China’s foldable smartphone market, but consumer response remains cautious due to its price and competition from established domestic brands.
Pricing and consumer reaction have emerged as central issues since Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo at an event on Wednesday. The device carries a price tag of 15,999 yuan ($2,230) in China, which many potential buyers find steep compared to local alternatives. On social media platform WeChat, one user indicated they would wait for the second-generation model next year rather than buy the current one.
Income disparity factors into consumer opinion. A commenter noted that while U.S. buyers earning $3,000 to $4,000 monthly can purchase the phone for $1,999, Chinese consumers with similar monthly incomes measured in yuan end up spending a much larger share of their earnings to acquire the iPhone Duo.
Market competition in Greater China, Apple’s third-largest revenue source accounting for about 17% of total sales, is intense. The foldable segment includes a variety of models from leading Chinese brands like Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor, Oppo, and Vivo. These companies offer different foldable designs, including book-style, flip-phone, and in Huawei’s case, trifold formats. This makes the market more mature and competitive than many other regions where foldable phones are relatively new.
Recent launches by competitors intensified the challenge for Apple. Xiaomi introduced the Xiaomi 18 Fold at 10,999 yuan, and Huawei released the Mate XT2 trifold model priced at 19,999 yuan, both just days before Apple’s announcement. Some consumers on WeChat pointed out that the iPhone Duo is priced between these two local devices and questioned whether it offers enough value.
Market rankings reflect the competition. Huawei led smartphone sales in China during the first half of the year, followed by Apple, Vivo, and Oppo, according to Counterpoint Research. Globally, Samsung narrowly surpassed Apple in smartphone shipments during the second quarter, with Xiaomi in third place.
Samsung’s presence in the foldable market is significant as well. Earlier in the year, Samsung introduced a new foldable phone version and currently holds a market share lead of 32%, ahead of Apple’s 25% and Huawei’s 24%, based on recent industry research.
Additional concerns voiced by Chinese consumers include the iPhone Duo’s lack of a physical SIM-card slot. This absence means mainland users will need to visit carrier stores for identification verification to activate an eSIM, which some view as inconvenient compared to traditional SIM usage.
Availability and launch dates for these foldables are approaching quickly. Xiaomi’s 18 Fold will be available from Thursday, while Huawei’s Mate XT2 will launch a few days later. Apple plans to begin pre-orders for the iPhone Duo on October 16, with sales starting October 23.
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