Apple's iPhone Duo Faces Price Test in China's Crowded Foldable Market

Product / TechPrice Action
โดย CNBC·CNUS·Read original
Summary · why it matters

Apple's first folding phone, the iPhone Duo, is drawing a tepid response from Chinese consumers focused on its price against established domestic rivals. Priced at 15,999 yuan, or $2,230, in China, the device was announced Wednesday and drew immediate pushback on social media platform WeChat, where one user said they would wait for the second-generation foldable next year. Apple shares climbed more than 3% after the launch event, but the company faces a key test in Greater China, its third-biggest market, which generates around 17% of total revenue and is one of the world's most competitive foldable-phone markets. Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor, Oppo and Vivo already sell devices across book-style, flip-phone and, in Huawei's case, trifold designs, and ahead of Apple's event Xiaomi and Huawei on Monday launched new flagship foldables, the Xiaomi 18 Fold and the trifold Mate XT2, priced at 10,999 yuan and 19,999 yuan. Huawei led China's smartphone market in both the first and second quarters according to Counterpoint, with Apple second, followed by Vivo and Oppo, while worldwide Samsung narrowly reclaimed the lead over Apple in second-quarter smartphone shipments and is expected to surpass Apple in foldable market share with a 32% share versus Apple at 25% and Huawei at 24%. Beyond price, Chinese social media users also raised concerns about the Duo's lack of a physical SIM-card slot, which may require mainland users to visit a carrier store for ID verification to activate an eSIM. Xiaomi's 18 Fold goes on sale Thursday, Huawei's Mate XT2 follows days later, and Apple's iPhone Duo pre-orders begin Oct. 16 with sales starting Oct. 23.

Impact on stocks 4

Artificial Intelligence± Mixed · 3 stocks
Apple Inc.
AAPL
▼ NegativeCompetitionrelevance

Apple's first foldable, the iPhone Duo, drew tepid Chinese consumer response on price versus cheaper domestic rivals like Xiaomi's 10,999-yuan 18 Fold and Huawei's Mate XT2.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
005930
▲ PositiveCompetitionrelevance

Samsung is expected to surpass Apple in foldable market share with 32% versus Apple's 25%, and narrowly reclaimed the worldwide smartphone shipment lead in Q2.

Electrification & Mobility▲ · 1 stocks
Xiaomi Corp
1810
▲ PositiveCompetitionrelevance

Xiaomi's 18 Fold, priced at 10,999 yuan, undercuts Apple's 15,999-yuan iPhone Duo and goes on sale Thursday, positioning it well in China's crowded foldable market.

Off-coverage companies 5

HuaweiPrivate▲ Positive
Competitionrelevance

Huawei led China's smartphone market in Q1 and Q2 and launched the trifold Mate XT2 days before Apple's iPhone Duo, strengthening its position against Apple.

Counterpoint ResearchPrivate± Mixed
relevance

Honor Device Co., Ltd.Private± Mixed
relevance

OPPO (Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications Corp.)Private± Mixed
relevance

vivo Mobile Communication Co., Ltd.Private± Mixed
relevance

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