Apple has released its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, in stores globally on Friday with a roughly $2,000 price tag. Market researcher IDC forecasts the device will make Apple the leader of the foldable market by 2027, capturing 44 per cent of the market value in 2026 on 31 per cent of units. By 2027, it will become the market leader in both value and units shipped.
The launch is a test of whether Apple can reinvent the small foldable mobile market the way it did for smartphones, entering a space where competitors such as Samsung Electronics and Huawei Technologies have sold premium devices for years. It is also an early challenge for Apple CEO John Ternus, the former hardware chief who unveiled the phone barely a week after taking charge in September, reports Reuters.
Demand was strong, but with sales rationed, there were fewer of the round-the-block queues that once marked new iPhone launches. Apple capped pre-orders at two handsets per customer and limited walk-in sales in several markets. In China, France, Hong Kong, India and Japan, devices were only available to those who had ordered online.
“Apple has made a convincing case for this form factor,” IDC Vice President Francisco Jeronimo said after spending a week with the Duo. “Now comes the next test: turning excitement into availability, adoption and a lasting new chapter for the smartphone market.”
Early reviews have praised the Duo’s design and its sturdy, barely visible hinge, a major feat for foldable phones whose prominent creased screens have long been a drawback. However, reviewers noted camera compromises, including the lack of a telephoto lens, and said third-party apps still need to be reworked for the new display size. Some prominent reviewers recommended against it for average users, noting the folded device is less handy for quick daily tasks compared with traditional smartphones.
According to the Dazzle website, the phone is available in Bangladesh at a Tk389,990 offer price and Tk429,990 at the regular price.
