$1,999 iPhone drives foldable market expansion! Counterpoint expects Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) iPhone Duo to sell 6 million units this year

Market research firm Counterpoint Research said it expects Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) to sell about 6 million iPhone Duo units this year, the industry's first sales forecast for the new foldable device. Counterpoint senior analyst Ivan Lam said the figure is more in line with the characteristics of the niche foldable market than with the shipment levels of Apple Inc.'s regular flagship models, and that final sales will depend on how the company ramps up production capacity for the new hardware. The iPhone Duo is priced at $1,999 and is scheduled for official release in October, positioned at the top of Apple Inc.'s product line and carrying the industry's hopes of sparking greater interest and sales in foldables. Market research firm IDC estimates that, driven by Apple Inc., foldable phone shipments will grow 13% this year to 22.9 million units. Without the iPhone Duo, the segment would have declined, IDC said. Counterpoint also noted that the iPhone 18 Pro series, released alongside the iPhone Duo, has seen strong early momentum in the Chinese market. This generation of Pro models, for the first time, did not include a standard-edition iteration, pushing upgrade users toward the higher-priced Pro versions and lifting first-sale volumes 12% above the iPhone 17 Pro. Against the backdrop of a 17% year-on-year decline in China's overall smartphone market and pressure on domestic manufacturers, Apple Inc. delivered a standout performance against the trend. With that result, Apple Inc. captured a 33% share of China's smartphone market. Affected by rising component costs, all phone makers are raising prices in an attempt to offset shipment declines with higher per-unit revenue, which has eroded the cost advantage of domestic competitors and benefits Apple Inc.'s pricing strategy. "Multiple Chinese flagship models have raised prices by more than $200, lifting the market's price anchor and further highlighting the iPhone's value-for-money advantage," Lam said.