Apple launched its foldable iPhone Duo with a $1,999 starting price; analysts questioned its appeal beyond early adopters. Counterpoint Research estimates nearly 6 million sales by year-end, potentially giving Apple roughly a quarter of the global foldable market.
Apple is positioning the Duo’s larger display for productivity, entertainment and AI. CEO John Ternus said it could become a personal AI hub; launch demonstrations included Zoom, Slack, Netflix and content-creation apps. Omdia forecasts 22.3 million foldable-phone shipments worldwide in 2026 and expects Apple’s entry to bring the category’s largest year-over-year increase since 2021.
The category remains small: IDC expects foldables to make up less than 3% of global smartphone shipments in 2026 and does not expect that share to change significantly in 2027. Counterpoint Research puts Samsung at about 40% of the foldable market. Samsung has sold foldable phones since 2019, while Huawei and Google also compete.
