Apple's First Foldable iPhone Duo: A ‘Blockbuster Hit’ or ‘Early Production Bottleneck’?

Apple's first foldable iPhone Duo. (Photo captured from a Naver blog) Apple has officially launched its first foldable smartphone, the ‘iPhone Duo,' engaging in a head-to-head competition with Samsung Electronics’ ‘Galaxy Z Fold 8’ in the foldable phone market. With sales beginning in more than 70 countries including South Korea and the United States, waiting lines to receive the product formed in front of stores such as the Myeongdong branch in Seoul, proving high interest. However, as the stock was rapidly depleted immediately after the start of pre-orders, the inventory of the three domestic mobile carriers was sold out early, and delivery dates on the online store have been pushed back to the end of January next year, showing clear signs of an early supply shortage. According to an analysis by Bank of America, the global average delivery waiting period reaches 82 days, and on second-hand trading platforms, items have appeared with a premium of 910,000 won (about $687) added to the 512GB model, which has an initial release price of 3,590,000 won. However, the industry believes it is too early to conclude that this scarcity phenomenon is an immediate hit success. This is because there is a high possibility that an early production bottleneck has occurred due to the fact that its structure is more complex than that of bar-type iPhones, taking time for mass production to stabilize. In terms of product specifications, both models have adopted a passport-type design that unfolds like a book. The screen sizes are similar, with the iPhone Duo featuring a 7.6-inch internal and 5.4-inch external display, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 features a 7.6-inch internal and 5.5-inch external display. However, there are differences in dimensions; the iPhone Duo has a thickness of 5.2mm when unfolded and 11.3mm when folded, weighing 254g, whereas the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a folded thickness of 9.7mm, making it 1.6mm thinner, and weighs 201g, making it 53g lighter. The iPhone Duo applies a nano-texture finish that reduces light reflection on the internal screen, making creases less noticeable, and is equipped with the latest A20 Pro chip. The price of the iPhone Duo is set at the highest among all iPhones in history. The base 256GB model is priced at 3,290,000 won, and the top-tier 2TB model is 5,090,000 won, which is more than 1,010,000 won more expensive when compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 base model of the same capacity at 2,278,100 won. Without subscribing to AppleCare+, the estimated repair costs are also a significant burden, reaching 1,649,000 won for internal display damage and 559,000 won for the external display. Nevertheless, market research firm Counterpoint Research forecasted that global foldable phone shipments next year will increase by 37% compared to the previous year due to Apple’s entry into the market. Apple’s shipment volume this year is expected to reach up to 6 million units (25% market share), ranking second following Samsung Electronics (38%), and it is evaluated that the overall market’s growth potential will expand further along with intensified competition in the premium market.