Apple plans to sell six million iPhone Duo units this year: Report

Apple is planning to sell around six million units of its newly-released iPhone Duo this year. According to a report by Bloomberg, this isthe first sales estimate for the company's foldable device.

This figure depends on how well the company scales production of the new hardware, a senior analyst told Bloomberg.

The iPhone Duo leads the company's product lineup, as the industry hopes it will boost sales of foldable devices.


Market performance

The phone, priced at $1,999, is set for release in October. In India, the 256 GB variant costs Rs 2,99,900, the 512 GB one costs Rs 3,24,900, Rs 3,74,900 for the 1 TB device, and Rs 4,49,900 for the 2 TB phone.

Market researcher IDC estimates that foldable phones will grow 13% this year. Total shipments are projected to reach 22.9 million units globally, IDC said, adding that without Apple's Duo, the segment would have seen a decline instead.

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro family has performed strongly in the Chinese market, despite an overall 17% downturn in the Chinese phone market, according to Counterpoint research. Consumers seeking an upgrade were pushed toward pricier iPhone 18 Pro models as Apple delayed releasing base model editions.

Apple now holds 33% of China's smartphone market, defeating rivals like Huawei and Xiaomi, per the report. This also marks a 12% rise compared to the previous iPhone 17 Pro's launch sales.

Boosted by rising costs

Rising component costs are forcing all manufacturers to increase prices; companies are also compensating for lower sales by increasing prices.

Analyst Ivan Lam told Bloomberg that the overall rise in prices had strengthened iPhone's relative value proposition among consumers.

"Price hikes of over $200 on many Chinese flagship models may have raised the price anchor (reference price), strengthening the iPhone's relative value proposition," he said.