Cupertino [USA], September 11: Apple has finally entered the foldable smartphone market with the iPhone Duo, but the timing of its arrival is about much more than simply catching up with Samsung and other Android manufacturers. According to an analysis published by The Indian Express, Apple’s decision to launch its first foldable is closely tied to the economics of the premium smartphone market and the opportunity to generate significantly more revenue from a relatively small number of devices.
Apple introduced the iPhone Duo this week as its first foldable iPhone. The device opens into a 7.6-inch display and features a 5.4-inch outer screen when folded. Its US starting price is $1,999, while the Indian price starts at ₹2,99,900.
The launch also marks Apple’s biggest change to the iPhone design philosophy in years, but the company’s real opportunity may lie in the money the device can generate rather than the number of units it sells.
Apple Waited While Samsung Built the Market
Apple is entering the foldable segment years after companies such as Samsung, Huawei and Xiaomi began selling foldable smartphones.
Rather than being an early entrant, Apple appears to have taken a wait-and-watch approach. Android manufacturers spent years developing foldable displays, hinges and software while convincing consumers that a folding phone could be practical.
That gave Apple an opportunity to observe what worked and what did not before launching its own product.
The Indian Express analysis points out that the iPhone Duo does not feel like a first-generation experiment. Apple has incorporated lessons from years of foldable development, particularly around the biggest complaint associated with these devices — the visible crease.
The Crease Problem Gets an Apple Treatment
One of the most noticeable aspects of the iPhone Duo is Apple’s approach to the foldable display.
Instead of claiming to completely eliminate the crease, Apple has used a nano-texture finish designed to reduce glare and make the fold line less visually distracting.
When opened, the device is intended to provide an experience closer to a small iPad than two smartphone screens joined together. Apple says the inner display offers a large canvas for gaming, content consumption and multitasking.
The company has also designed a custom hinge and focused heavily on the physical feel of the device.
Why Apple Chose ‘Duo’
Interestingly, the design of the iPhone Duo has drawn comparisons with Microsoft’s Surface Duo rather than simply copying Samsung’s Galaxy Fold approach.
The Indian Express analysis notes that Apple may have started exploring this form factor around the period when Microsoft introduced its own dual-screen device. Even the Duo name appears reminiscent of Microsoft’s earlier product.
However, Apple’s implementation is significantly different, with a continuous foldable display rather than two separate screens.
The Real Opportunity: Revenue
This is where Apple’s strategy becomes particularly interesting.
Foldable smartphones remain a small part of the global smartphone market. According to IDC projections cited by The Indian Express, foldables are expected to account for only around 2.2% of global smartphone unit sales in 2026, increasing to approximately 3.1% by 2030.
But their contribution to industry revenue is expected to be much larger, potentially reaching 10% by 2030.
That difference between unit share and revenue share is exactly what makes the category attractive to Apple.
In simple terms, Apple does not need to sell as many foldable phones as it sells regular iPhones to make the product financially significant.
iPhone Duo Could Generate $27 Billion in Revenue
IDC expects Apple to sell more than 10 million iPhone Duo units during its first 12 months, potentially generating around $27 billion in revenue.
If those estimates materialise, Apple could become the world’s largest foldable smartphone vendor by 2027, overtaking Huawei.
The numbers show why Apple may not need the iPhone Duo to become a mainstream device immediately.
Instead, the strategy could be to establish Apple as the premium reference point in the foldable segment and capture a disproportionate share of the category’s revenue.
₹2.99 Lakh Price Tag in India
The iPhone Duo is significantly more expensive in India.
While the US starting price is $1,999, Apple has priced the device at ₹2,99,900 in India.
Counterpoint Research’s Neil Shah expects Apple’s entry to expand India’s foldable market primarily in terms of value rather than volume, at least initially.
That means the Duo may not suddenly make foldable smartphones affordable for Indian consumers. Instead, it is likely to remain an ultra-premium product aimed at customers willing to pay for Apple’s ecosystem and the new form factor.
Apple Is Targeting High-End Buyers
The timing also comes as the broader smartphone industry faces slower growth and longer upgrade cycles.
Consumers are increasingly holding on to smartphones for longer, making it harder for manufacturers to drive annual upgrades through incremental improvements.
Apple’s answer is to introduce a completely new premium category within the iPhone family.
The Duo gives existing iPhone users a reason to spend considerably more while allowing Apple to participate in a market where premium pricing remains possible.
The company’s existing iPhone business is already enormous. Apple generated $209.6 billion from iPhone sales in fiscal 2025, according to Reuters.
The foldable therefore does not need to replace the regular iPhone. Instead, it can sit above the existing lineup as an additional high-margin product.
India Could See a Bigger Foldable Market
Apple’s arrival could also have an impact on the Indian foldable smartphone market.
Counterpoint expects the Duo to increase the value of India’s foldable segment, even if the number of units sold remains relatively limited. Other manufacturers may also face pressure to improve their premium foldable offerings as Apple brings greater mainstream attention to the category.
Samsung currently remains one of the strongest players in the global foldable market, but Apple’s ecosystem, developer support and massive iPhone customer base give the Duo a different advantage.
Apple Doesn’t Need the Duo to Outsell the iPhone
The biggest takeaway from Apple’s foldable strategy is that unit sales may not be the primary goal.
The company already has a massive conventional smartphone business. The iPhone Duo is instead positioned as an ultra-premium device capable of increasing the average amount customers spend on Apple’s hardware.
If Apple manages to capture a large share of foldable revenue while selling a relatively small number of devices, the strategy could prove highly successful.
The Indian Express analysis describes this as a market where value is growing considerably faster than volume. That is precisely the kind of market Apple has historically been well positioned to exploit.
The Bigger Picture
The iPhone Duo’s launch signals that Apple believes foldable smartphones have moved beyond the experimental phase.
The company waited for competitors to develop the category, consumers to become familiar with foldable designs and the technology to mature. Now Apple is entering with a product positioned at the very top of the market.
Whether the iPhone Duo becomes a mass-market success remains to be seen. Its $1,999 US price and ₹2,99,900 Indian price will keep it out of reach for most smartphone buyers.
But Apple may not need mass adoption.
If the company can sell millions of premium foldables, capture a large share of the category’s revenue and encourage its existing customers to move to a much more expensive iPhone, the Duo could become an important new revenue engine for Apple.
In other words, Apple’s first foldable iPhone is not necessarily about selling the most foldable phones. It is about making the most money from the premium foldable market.
