GoKawiilApple's iPhone Duo priced at 15,999 yuan sparks cost backlash in China
Apple unveiled its first foldable, the iPhone Duo, at $2,230 (15,999 yuan) in China, a price that triggered immediate pushback from consumers comparing it to their local incomes and to cheaper domestic rivals. Xiaomi and Huawei had just launched competing foldables days earlier, the Xiaomi 18 Fold at 10,999 yuan and Huawei's trifold Mate XT2 at 19,999 yuan, intensifying the price comparisons. Despite the mixed local reaction, Apple shares rose more than 3% after the launch event.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
China accounts for roughly 17% of Apple's revenue and is the world's most competitive foldable market, with Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor, Oppo and Vivo already entrenched across multiple foldable formats. Unlike other markets where Apple enters foldables as a novelty, in China it must justify its price against mature, cheaper local alternatives, making early consumer sentiment a meaningful signal for adoption.
- iPhone Duo costs 15,999 yuan ($2,230) in China, drawing criticism over affordability relative to local incomes.
- Xiaomi and Huawei just launched rival foldables priced both below and above Apple's device.
- Apple shares rose over 3% post-launch despite skepticism from Chinese social media users.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Smartphone — If Apple's iPhone Duo has you curious about book-style foldables, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6 is the one you can actually buy today. It opens into a tablet-sized screen for multitasking, split-screen apps and big-screen video, then folds down to pocket size — exactly the form factor that's made China's foldable market so fiercely competitive.
See Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Smartphone on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: cnbc.com — Evelyn Cheng Matthew Tan, 2026-09-11
Published there as: “The iPhone Duo enters China’s crowded foldable market — and faces a price test”
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