Apple expects to sell 6 million foldable iPhone Duo units this year

Apple is expected to sell about 6,000,000 units of its new foldable iPhone Duo this year, driven by strong demand potential and bold pricing according to Counterpoint Research. The foldable device has been priced at $1,999, which is about $100 above the Galaxy Z Fold8. Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint Research, said that keeping the phone just under the $2,000 mark is a bold move for a first-generation foldable. Apple launched the iPhone Duo this month with a design that the company says avoids looking like two phones glued together side by side. Orders for the phone begin on October 16 in the UAE starting from Dh8,499, which equals $2,300 for the base model, and up to Dh13,600 for larger storage. Key challenges for Foldables remain durability, crease visibility, hinge reliability, thickness, weight, and battery life. Apple's entry into the market is expected to provide a major boost to the Foldables segment amid a wider decline in the overall smartphone market. Worldwide smartphone shipments are expected to fall 16.7 per cent this year to slightly more than 1,000,000,000 units in the steepest annual contraction the industry has recorded, according to IDC. However, the Foldables category is expected to grow 12.6 per cent in 2026 to 22,900,000 units, and then accelerate to 18 per cent growth next year to reach about 27,000,000 units. Apple is not only adding a new model to the category, but it is converting a segment that was about to decline into the fastest-growing part of the industry. For your next phone upgrade, this means foldable screens are finally moving from a tech showcase into a mainstream premium option you will actually see on the street.