With a price tag of almost $2,000 and less excitement than previous iPhone introductions, Apple’s first folding phone, the iPhone Duo, debuted in stores worldwide on Friday.
Demand was high everywhere from Singapore and Shanghai to London and Berlin, but sales rationing made round-the-block lines and nightly camp-outs, which used to signal the arrival of new iPhones, less common.
The Duo tests whether Apple can reimagine the small foldable mobile industry the way the iPhone did for smartphones. Rivals like Samsung Electronics and Huawei Technologies have been selling high-end foldable phones for years.
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Additionally, it presents an early test for John Ternus, Apple’s new CEO. Ternus, a longtime hardware head, launched the phone just one week after taking over in September.
Within minutes of pre-orders opening a week ago, Apple’s expected delivery dates for the Duo were pushed back to late January due to supply constraints. The response was described as “nothing short of extraordinary” by the US corporation.
Apple restricted sales to walk-in customers and capped pre-orders at two phones per customer. They were only accessible to internet shoppers in China, France, Hong Kong, India, and Japan.
Before opening at 8 a.m. local time on Friday, a line developed outside Sydney’s first Apple store, which started selling the new passport-shaped phones.
“This is a bit of a luxury item for me, because it’s so pricey, but I simply thought, you know what? “Life is too short,” stated Simon Krishnan, a 48-year-old engineer who purchased a 512GB Duo for A$3,899 ($2,734).
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Social media images showed dozens of consumers walking inside Apple’s Fifth Avenue store in New York as Greg Joswiak, the marketing director for the iPhone manufacturer, unlocked the doors.
According to several posts, people had set up camp outside the store as early as 4 a.m. local time (0800 GMT).
Six consecutive quarters have seen a decline in smartphone shipments in China due to a weak consumer market and growing memory costs; yet, Apple’s market share has increased as some consumers upgrade to more expensive models.
Liu Wei, a 26-year-old healthcare worker in Shanghai, already owns a foldable from Xiaomi. He still lined up outside an Apple store starting at 6 a.m. to get the company’s first foldable. Having used Apple devices for years, he said he trusts the brand more and wanted to try the new phone on its first day.
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Many people in the Shanghai queue were collecting pre-orders, while others were hoping to catch a bit of leftover stock or just look at the demo units. Some of those waiting were resellers.
In Hong Kong, a 38-year-old buyer who gave only the name May, and who pre-ordered a 256GB iPhone Duo online for HK$17,499 (about $2,232), intends to flip it for roughly HK$4,000 in profit. He joked that it would cover a few dinners.
In London, 53-year-old Paul Francis was among dozens of fans who waited overnight in heavy rain outside the Regent Street store.
“Some people think it was crazy, and I’m one of them,” admitted the charity manager.
Mixed reviews
Early reviewers have applauded the Duo’s design, particularly its sturdy, nearly invisible hinge. That’s a big achievement, since the conspicuous crease in foldable screens has long put buyers off.
However, they also pointed to drawbacks that could disappoint some customers.
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The camera setup involves trade-offs, such as the absence of a telephoto lens, and many third-party apps haven’t yet been adapted to the new screen size.
Reviewers also found the folded Duo less convenient for the quick, everyday tasks most people rely on their phones for, and several well-known reviewers advised many Apple users to skip it.
Longtime Apple commentator John Gruber wrote that after a week of enjoyable testing, the Duo felt like a highly refined prototype rather than a finished product he’d want to buy and carry around.
Tech reviewer Marques Brownlee said in a YouTube review that the answer is probably no for the average person who mainly texts and browses.
But for someone who isn’t bothered by the $2,000 cost and likes the concept, he said the phone is great fun once you get past the learning curve and adjust to the lack of facial recognition.
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In Berlin, YouTube creator Patrick Wolter was struck by how the Duo combines a phone and an iPad in one device.
He said he’s always found carrying a separate tablet annoying, especially with a laptop and other gear already in his bag, and he expects the Duo will eventually take the place of those other devices.
Tough to find
Francisco Jeronimo, a vice president at market research firm IDC, said Apple’s move into the fairly niche foldables market could introduce the format to a far larger audience.
IDC projects that Apple will capture 44% of the foldable market’s value in 2026 while accounting for 31% of units sold. By 2027, the firm forecasts, Apple will lead the market in both value and shipments.
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After spending a week with the Duo, Jeronimo said Apple has made a persuasive argument for the foldable design. The next challenge, he added, is converting the buzz into real availability and uptake and into a lasting new phase for smartphones.
