Scalpers outside Apple's Sanlitun flagship store in Beijing offered to pay customers an additional 3,000 Chinese yuan, or $448, for newly purchased iPhone Duo units on the device's global launch day. Alex Wang, one of the buyers waiting outside the store, told CNBC that tight supply would likely keep resale prices elevated for at least half a month.
The iPhone Duo is Apple's first foldable phone, a category that remains niche globally but represents the single largest market in China, according to Counterpoint Research. Despite the premium pricing, initial interest appeared strong. Mary Tong, who arrived at the Sanlitun store at 6 a.m. as part of a pre-booked line of about 100 people, noted that Apple had historically lagged in the foldable segment and that many Chinese consumers prefer such devices.
Competitors have moved quickly to capture market share. Huawei launched the Mate XT2 trifold phone on Sept. 7, two days before Apple's announcement, with a price tag of about $3,000. The company is also promoting its XiaoYi AI assistant to bolster its competitiveness against Apple and other domestic rivals. Xiaomi unveiled its own high-end foldable, the 18 Fold, around the same time.
Apple restricted availability for the launch in mainland China. The company stated that the Duo would not be available for walk-in purchase on launch day in China and that supplies would be limited in other countries. Online purchases were capped at two phones per customer. Zhang Zheng, who attempted to order the device online, cited a delivery timeline stretching to January 2027 as a discouraging factor, though he expressed continued interest in buying one for work and its aesthetic appeal.
While demand for the hardware was evident, expectations for Apple Intelligence remained low among customers. Apple indicated that a beta version of its AI system for the mainland China market is set to begin testing this month. The update will include features such as live translation, Clean Up in photos, and writing tools. On Oct. 14, Beijing approved Alibaba AI models for use in the Duo and other Apple devices as part of Apple's pending AI rollout in the country. Apple received broader Chinese regulatory clearance over the summer.
Chinese official media recently cited former CEO Tim Cook during a trip to China, stating that Apple's revamped Siri AI would not yet be available in the country. John Zhao, an iPhone Duo customer who had used Apple Intelligence while working overseas, described the current system as nice but not beyond imagination. He expects the Chinese version to be less exciting.