iPhone Duo forecast to capture 25% of the global foldable market in 2026

Apple has just joined the fray of foldables with the iPhone Duo, a passport-style model featuring a 7.6-inch inner screen and a 5.4-inch cover display. According to TrendForce, roughly 5 million units of Apple's first foldable are expected to ship by the end of 2026, capturing an estimated 24.8% of the global foldable smartphone market. This would place Apple second behind Samsung, whose 7.1 million units are projected to secure a roughly 35% share. Huawei is also on par with Apple, forecast to ship around 5 million units for a 24.8% share.

The forecast is particularly striking because the overall foldable market is expected to reach around 20.2 million shipments this year, representing an increase of just 0.5% over last year. Excluding Apple, Android foldable shipments are projected to fall by more than 20% to roughly 15.2 million units. Rising component costs are a major factor behind the decline, suggesting that Apple’s debut is less a sign of broad market health than a redistribution of an already shrinking pie.

As for the iPhone Duo itself, TrendForce highlights its selling points, such as its focus on reduced crease visibility via its 10-layer ultra-thin display structure and nano-texture treatment. However, Apple has also made compromises, including omitting a dedicated periscope telephoto camera in favor of a 48MP main camera with 2x optical-quality zoom.