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Apple's iPhone Duo Faces Pricing Hurdles in Competitive Chinese Foldable Market
Electronic Technology · Computer Communications · cnbc · 2026-09-11
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Apple's new foldable iPhone Duo is receiving a lukewarm reception from Chinese consumers due to its high price point and stiff competition from local rivals.
What Happened
Market Entry Challenges: Apple has officially entered the Chinese foldable smartphone market with the iPhone Duo, priced at 15,999 yuan. Despite the launch, early consumer sentiment on platforms like WeChat suggests hesitation, with many potential buyers opting to wait for future iterations due to the high cost relative to local income levels.
Competitive Landscape: The company faces intense pressure from established domestic players including Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor, Oppo, and Vivo, which have already saturated the market with various foldable designs. Huawei, in particular, remains a dominant force, having led the Chinese smartphone market in the first two quarters of the year according to Counterpoint data.
Consumer and Technical Hurdles: Beyond pricing concerns, potential users have raised issues regarding the device's lack of a physical SIM-card slot, which complicates activation for mainland customers. This technical barrier, combined with the availability of competitive alternatives like the Xiaomi 18 Fold and Huawei Mate XT2, creates a significant hurdle for Apple's adoption in its third-largest market.
Financial and Strategic Outlook: While Apple shares rose over 3% following the event, the Greater China region remains critical, accounting for approximately 17% of the company's total revenue. Analysts expect Samsung to maintain a lead in the global foldable segment, placing Apple in a challenging position as it attempts to capture market share in a category where rivals have already established a strong foothold.