Apple's iPhone Duo sparks interests among Chinese consumers

Chinese consumers are showing growing enthusiasm for Apple's iPhone Duo, as foldable smartphones are expected to see a jump in global shipments this year.

As of Thursday, the 256GB version of iPhone Duo, priced at 15,999 yuan ($2,385), had attracted 1.29 million reservations on Apple's JD.com self-operated flagship store.

Demand has also spawned a brisk resale and "proxy booking" market. On Dewu App, seven pre-sale orders for the 256GB China-standard iPhone Duo had been completed. The highest transaction price was 49,999 yuan, with two orders at that level, while the lowest was 21,000 yuan. That represents a premium of 5,001 yuan to 34,000 yuan over Apple's official price.

Sources familiar with the matter told China Daily that representatives from many Chinese app developers have flown to Apple's US headquarters to learn how to quickly adapt their apps' user interface designs to the iPhone Duo. They said adapting social networking apps to the device's foldable display usually takes two to three weeks, while gaming apps may take three to four weeks.

The reservation surge underscores the importance of China's market for Apple and the potential of foldable devices. Global foldable smartphone shipments are expected to rise this year, with consumers increasingly viewing larger, flexible screens as a premium upgrade.

The market research company Counterpoint Research said cumulative global foldable smartphone shipments are expected to surpass 100 million units by the end of 2026 — some eight years after the first commercial foldable device launched in 2019.

The research firm projects the market will accelerate to 37 percent year-on-year growth in 2027, driven by Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8 series and Apple's entry into the foldable segment.