On a Friday in late October, Apple placed its first folding phone, the iPhone Duo at about US$2,000, into stores across the world, and people lined up before dawn in cities from Sydney to San Francisco. The moment asks a familiar question of an established company: whether a long-trusted name can reshape a category that rivals such as Samsung and Huawei have already been shaping for years. For a new chief executive barely a week into the role, the phone is both a product and a test of what kind of leader he will be. Whether the enthusiasm hardens into lasting ownership, or simply fades into th
Apple's First Foldable iPhone Debuts Amid Rationed Sales and Mixed Reviews
A polished prototype, not a finished product
Mark
Why does a launch with smaller lines count as a story?
Mimi
Because the lines were small by choice of supply, not demand. Apple capped pre-orders at two per customer and delivery dates slid to late January within minutes.
Luke
Worth noting that "nothing short of extraordinary" is Apple describing its own response. We have no unit figures for pre-orders.
Mark
What about the buyers themselves?
Mimi
A mix. An engineer in Sydney paying A$3,899 for 512GB, a consultant in San Francisco sleeping on a bench, and resellers in Hong Kong eyeing about HK$4,000 profit per phone.
Luke
Those are individual anecdotes. They show enthusiasm exists, not how widespread it is or how many buyers are flippers.
Mark
And the reviews?
Mimi
Praise for the hinge and design, but no telephoto lens, apps not yet adapted, and several reviewers steering ordinary users away. Gruber called it a polished prototype.
Luke
Brownlee's "probably a no" is for people who mostly text and browse. He was more positive for those who don't mind the price.
Mark
Then what of IDC's forecast?
Mimi
44 per cent of foldable value in 2026 on 31 per cent of units, and market leadership by 2027.
Luke
That's a forecast from one research firm, made before sales data exists. It's a projection, not a result.
Le Pouls
- Shoppers camped overnight in rain on Regent Street and in San Francisco, while delivery dates slipped to late January within minutes of pre-orders opening.
- Apple capped pre-orders at two handsets per customer and limited store sales to walk-ins, leaving some buyers scrambling and others reselling for profit.
- Reviewers praised the sturdy, nearly invisible hinge but warned of a missing telephoto lens, unfinished third-party apps, and a folded screen that is clumsy for quick everyday tasks.
- Analysts at IDC forecast Apple will lead the foldable market in both value and units by 2027, but the company must now convert early excitement into steady sales and real adoption.
On a Friday in late October, Apple placed its first folding phone, the iPhone Duo at about US$2,000, into stores across the world, and people lined up before dawn in cities from Sydney to San Francisco. The moment asks a familiar question of an established company: whether a long-trusted name can reshape a category that rivals such as Samsung and Huawei have already been shaping for years. For a new chief executive barely a week into the role, the phone is both a product and a test of what kind of leader he will be. Whether the enthusiasm hardens into lasting ownership, or simply fades into the memory of a rare, rationed night, is still unwritten.
In Sydney on Friday, a line had formed outside the first Apple store selling the iPhone Duo well before the doors opened at 8 a.m. The Duo is Apple's first folding phone, priced at about US$2,000, and it reached stores worldwide that day. Demand was strong, but limited supply meant fewer of the overnight camp-outs that once marked new iPhone launches.
The stakes reach beyond a single device. Samsung and Huawei have sold premium foldables for years, and Apple now has to show it can reshape that small market as it once reshaped smartphones. For new CEO John Ternus, a former hardware chief who took charge only in September, the launch is an early and very public test.
Supply was tight from the start. Delivery estimates slipped to late January within minutes of pre-orders opening, and Apple capped orders at two handsets per customer. Buyers had their reasons: an engineer in Sydney who called the purchase a luxury, a consultant in San Francisco who had promised his father a Duo and stayed overnight to get one, and a Shanghai professional who queued at dawn despite already owning a foldable. Resellers were there too, hoping to profit from scarcity.
Reviews were mixed. Critics praised the design and the nearly invisible hinge, but noted the lack of a telephoto lens, unfinished app support, and a folded form that is less convenient for everyday tasks. Some prominent reviewers advised most Apple customers to wait. Market researcher IDC remains optimistic, expecting Apple to lead the foldable market by 2027. The real challenge, analysts say, is turning this launch-day excitement into lasting availability and adoption.
In Sydney on Friday, a line formed outside the first Apple store to put the iPhone Duo on sale, and it was there before the doors opened at 8 a.m. local time. The Duo is Apple's first folding phone. It reached stores worldwide that day at about US$2,000, and the launch carried less of the old iPhone spectacle than past ones. From Singapore and Shanghai to London and San Francisco, demand was strong, but rationed supply meant fewer of the round-the-block queues and overnight camp-outs that once defined new iPhone days.
The stakes go beyond one product. Samsung Electronics and Huawei Technologies have sold premium foldables for years, so the Duo tests whether Apple can reinvent the small foldable market the way the original iPhone did for smartphones. It is also an early challenge for new CEO John Ternus, the former hardware chief, who unveiled the phone barely a week after taking charge in September.
Supply was tight from the start. Estimated delivery dates slipped to late January within minutes of pre-orders opening a week earlier. Apple called the response "nothing short of extraordinary", capped pre-orders at two handsets per customer, and limited store sales to walk-in shoppers. In China, France, Hong Kong, India and Japan, only people who had ordered online could buy in stores.
The buyers had their reasons. Simon Krishnan, a 48-year-old engineer in Sydney, paid A$3,899 (US$2,734) for a 512GB model. "Life's too short," he said, admitting it was a luxury. In San Francisco, consultant Mohit Chandel, 32, had promised his father in Singapore a Duo for his retirement but forgot to pre-order. Spotting a dozen people lined up outside an Apple store around 11 p.m. Thursday, he joined them, ordered a bench and pillow from Walgreens, and stayed the night. His father, he said, doesn't know the pre-orders are gone.
In Shanghai, 26-year-old healthcare professional Liu Wei queued from 6 a.m. even though he already owns a Xiaomi foldable. He cited years of Apple use and greater trust in the brand. China's smartphone market has been soft, with six straight quarters of falling shipments driven by weak consumer demand and rising memory costs, though Apple's share has rebounded as some buyers trade up. Some in line were resellers: a Hong Kong buyer identified only as May, 38, bought a 256GB Duo at HK$17,499 (US$2,231.73) and planned to resell it for about HK$4,000 profit. In London, Paul Francis, a 53-year-old charity manager, was among several dozen fans who queued overnight in pouring rain on Regent Street. "Some people think it was mad. Including myself," he said.
The executives showed up too. Ternus greeted customers at a store in Austin, Texas, throwing open the doors and high-fiving shoppers, according to a CBS Austin video on X. His visit coincided with the Formula 1 US Grand Prix in the city; Apple holds exclusive US broadcast and streaming rights to the series. In New York, marketing head Greg Joswiak opened the Fifth Avenue store to a crowd, with some social media posts saying people had camped outside since 4 a.m.
Reviews have been mixed. Early write-ups praised the design and a sturdy, barely visible hinge, a notable achievement for a category long dogged by a creased screen. But reviewers flagged camera compromises, including no telephoto lens, and said third-party apps still need reworking for the new display size. They also found the folded Duo less handy for the quick everyday tasks most people do, and several prominent reviewers advised many Apple customers against buying it. Longtime Apple commentator John Gruber called it an "extraordinarily polished prototype" rather than a finished product he would want to carry. Marques Brownlee said that for someone who mostly texts and browses, it is "probably a no," though for those unbothered by US$2,000 and willing to adjust to life without facial identification, it is "a really fun phone." Berlin YouTuber Patrick Wolter, by contrast, liked having a phone and an iPad in one and expects it to replace his other devices.
Market researcher IDC is bullish. It expects Apple to take 44 per cent of foldable market value in 2026 on 31 per cent of units, and to lead in both value and units by 2027. IDC vice president Francisco Jeronimo said Apple has made a convincing case for the form factor. The next test, he said, is turning excitement into availability, adoption and a lasting new chapter for the smartphone market.
Citations marquantes
It's been a lot of fun trying the Duo out for a week, but it feels like I've gotten to use an extraordinarily polished prototype.— John Gruber, Apple commentator
Apple has made a convincing case for this form factor. Now comes the next test: turning excitement into availability, adoption and a lasting new chapter.— Francisco Jeronimo, IDC vice president
Envie de l'histoire complète ?
Lire l'original sur Inside Retail Asia ↗
Technology