雷科技
Apple’s first foldable iPhone has arrived!
Pre-orders for the iPhone Duo go live across China at 8 p.m. tonight, with official shipments kicking off on October 23.
Image Source: Apple’s Official Website
As Apple’s first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo has already created a massive buzz long before its official launch.
Pre-registrations on domestic e-commerce platforms have topped two million. Scalpers have jumped on the bandwagon early, with some merchants quoting markups of as much as 10,000 yuan. Even staff at Apple’s offline retail stores admit that the first batch will be extremely hard to get.
Why the shortage?
Supply chain reports point to severely limited production capacity for the iPhone Duo. Total annual stock is capped at roughly six million units. It’s a classic case of too many buyers chasing too few products.
Tim Cook recently stated publicly that the iPhone Duo is exclusively made in China, fully assembled by Foxconn and other local factories. He has high hopes for how this device will perform on the Chinese market.
Unlike regular bar-style smartphones, foldable models demand far tighter manufacturing standards for hinges and flexible screens.
From what I still remember, there were constant rumors in past years that Apple would shift its entire supply chain out of China to India. Surprisingly, Apple has kept this high-end, complex manufacturing work firmly in the hands of Chinese factories.
This is nothing short of a direct vote of confidence in China’s manufacturing capabilities.
Market response has fully lived up to Cook’s expectations; demand has turned out even hotter than forecasted.
The China version comes in four storage options: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB. The base model starts at 15,999 yuan, while the top-of-the-line 2TB variant costs 26,499 yuan.
Image Source: Apple’s Official Website
At this price point, it is clearly unrealistic to say ordinary consumers can pick one up casually. It commands a premium for a reason, yet it is destined to remain a luxury gadget for a small group of people.
What troubles buyers most about Apple’s new launch, however, is whether anyone can get it at the original listed price.
According to JD.com data, pre-registrations had surpassed the 2.6 million mark as of this afternoon.
Image Source: Screenshot from JD.com
This only covers reservations from a single e-commerce platform. If we factor in Apple’s official website, offline Apple Stores, authorized resellers and other online retailers, the total reservation figure will be even more staggering.
If you really want to get your hands on the device at launch, you’ll either need lightning-fast reflexes or pay extra to secure one. Huge hype inevitably brings a massive supply-demand gap.
Some buyers genuinely want the phone, some hope to experience it first-hand, while others aim to cash in on this opportunity.
On Xiaohongshu, I’ve seen scalpers already hiking prices. Getting the unit on launch day comes with a 12,000-yuan markup.
Image Source: Screenshot from Xiaohongshu
That’s crazy. The scalper markup alone is enough to buy another flagship Android phone. It’s just not worth it at all.
Meanwhile, some merchants are offering pre-order snatching services, charging fees ranging from 200 yuan to 1,000 yuan. Some even state upfront that no refunds will be issued if they fail to secure the unit.
In my opinion, with electronics, you pay more to get it early and wait for discounts if you hold off. Why not wait a month or two until supply stabilizes and grab one at the official price?
It’s worth noting that right before pre-orders went live, iQiyi showcased its app optimization tailored for this foldable iPhone, and the effort even got a shoutout from Tim Cook.
On October 14, Tim Cook visited iQiyi’s Beijing headquarters and tested the customized tweaks built for the iPhone Duo’s dual-screen layout. Media reports confirm that iQiyi developed a split-screen playback feature optimized for the foldable form factor.
Cook publicly praised the iQiyi team for delivering outstanding app adaptations.
From my perspective (Xiaoleibbb), the iPhone Duo can only achieve blockbuster sales in China with full support from the country’s top internet firms. When it comes to foldable phones, software ecosystem makes up half of the overall user experience.
Alright, last question for everyone: Are you going to pull the trigger on tonight’s pre-order? Drop a comment below and let’s chat.
