'Because it's Apple': What drives Korea's first iPhone Duo buyers

In Samsung's backyard, Apple's brand draws foldable buyers, but its ecosystem and software seal the deal

"I ordered Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold8 with my wife, but returned mine unopened when I heard Apple was releasing a foldable."

Kim, a Seoul-based game company employee in his mid-40s, was among the first customers collecting Apple's 3.29 million won ($2,300) iPhone Duo at Apple Myeongdong on Friday. His wife kept her Samsung phone.

"I seriously considered switching to Android because of the Fold8," he said. But giving up his Apple Watch, AirPods and familiar iPhone software was too much of a barrier.

The Duo went on sale Friday in South Korea and more than 70 other countries and regions, seven years after Samsung introduced its first foldable smartphone. Apple's first attempt costs over 1 million won more than Samsung's latest Fold8.

Some 30 to 40 customers waited outside the Myeongdong store before its 8 a.m. opening, a relatively small queue for Apple's biggest iPhone redesign since the iPhone X in 2017. But the turnout was not necessarily a measure of demand: Apple was not allowing walk-in purchases of the Duo in Korea, and preorder pickups were scheduled throughout the day.

For many Duo buyers interviewed by The Korea Herald, the alternative to Apple's expensive new foldable was not necessarily Samsung's cheaper one. It was another iPhone.

What exactly makes the Duo worth buying?

"I've been waiting for this for years," said Park Seong-geon, a creative director for advertising and music videos who spent the night outside Apple Myeongdong to become its first Duo buyer.

An Apple user since art school, Park said Samsung's foldables were "never something I considered."

He hopes to replace the iPad he uses as a camera monitor on shoots with the Duo, which is also expected to gain Apple Pencil support through a software update later this year.

"If it can replace both my iPhone and iPad, the price makes sense," he said.

"Whenever I used a Fold, I kept wishing it was a folding iPhone instead. I prefer how smoothly Apple's devices work together," said Do Young-kyung, 31, a restaurant industry worker who bought the Duo after owning several Samsung foldables.

"I'd say about 70 percent of the attraction simply comes from it being Apple," he said.

Another buyer in his 40s who had kept his iPhone 11 Pro for seven years said the Duo made him feel it was "finally time to upgrade." He hopes the foldable can replace his phone, iPad and e-reader, bringing their functions into a single device.

A brief hands-on demonstration at the Myeongdong store offered some tangible evidence of the device's appeal, especially its versatility. Folded halfway, the Duo's Music app rearranged itself, placing lyrics above playback controls below. Turned upright when locked, the device switched to a useful StandBy screen with customizable widgets.

The 7.6-inch inner display looked impressively seamless, though its matte coating made videos appear somewhat washed out. The 5.4-inch outer screen was more usable than expected until the keyboard appeared, leaving little room for anything else.

"Some features may appear incremental individually, but collectively they improve the overall user experience and help justify the Duo's premium positioning," said Linda Sui, founder of Smart Analytics Global and former head of mobile device markets at TechInsights.

Apple may not need mass market appeal after all

Chae, a designer in her 30s who has used iPhones for over a decade, stopped by Apple Myeongdong to try the Duo. She had never considered a Samsung foldable but was impressed by how the Duo's software adapted to different folding positions, allowing her to photograph her young child or play videos without a separate stand. She was also interested in its upcoming Apple Pencil support.

But the 3.29 million won price tag, especially with AppleCare+, gave her pause.

"I can't understand preordering something this expensive without even seeing it first," she said.

Even some who preordered had doubts.

"Honestly, if this weren't an iPhone, I would never have bought something like this," said a customer who owns Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold and requested anonymity.

Disappointed by the Duo's limited multitasking shown in early YouTube reviews, he nearly canceled his preorder Thursday but went ahead anyway with the purchase Friday.

However, Apple may not need mass-market appeal, analysts say. Its enormous iPhone customer base could sustain a niche for ultra-premium foldables.

Sui forecasts 6 million Duo shipments worldwide this year and expects foldables to account for over 20 percent of Apple's iPhone shipments by 2030 or 2031. In South Korea, IDC expects Apple to capture just 5 percent of foldable smartphone shipments in 2027.

For Nabila Popal, senior director of worldwide device research at IDC, called iPhone Duo "the ultimate flex in the tech world," positioning it as a status symbol.

But limited initial supplies and preorder deliveries stretching into January make early demand difficult to judge.

"The key element that will determine its success will be if it can sustain this level of demand one year from now, when the novelty factor wears off," Popal said.

Even Do, who sold his iPad mini to afford the Duo, said he would not recommend it to others.

"The hardware alone isn't worth the extra 1 million won over Samsung's Fold8," he said. "For me, being able to use a foldable phone within Apple's ecosystem makes the difference."