TrendForce puts iPhone Duo foldable market share at 24.8% for 2026, based on about 5 million units shipping before the year ends. That would put Apple’s first foldable iPhone in a tie with Huawei for second place behind Samsung, in a category that grows only 0.5% this year.
A September 10 forecast by TrendForce counts 20.2 million foldables shipping worldwide in 2026.TrendForce‘s October 28 update kept the same 5 million and 24.8% figures for the iPhone Duo after preorders opened on October 16.
iPhone Duo foldable market share ties Huawei behind Samsung
Samsung leads the 2026 forecast with about 7.1 million foldables and a 35.1% share. Huawei lands on the same numbers as the iPhone Duo, about 5 million units and 24.8%, so the two are tied for second.
Samsung, Huawei and the iPhone Duo together account for about 17.1 million of the 20.2 million foldables, or roughly 85% of the market. Samsung’s share sits 10.3 points ahead of each rival.
Without Apple, every other foldable brand combined is expected to ship about 15.2 million units, down more than 20% from 2025 as component costs climb. Samsung and Huawei account for 12.1 million of that, which leaves roughly 3.1 million units for everyone else. The iPhone Duo mostly offsets the drop, which keeps the whole category close to flat.
TrendForce calls 2026 a year of structural realignment. Apple’s requirements for displays and hinges could speed up supply chain maturity over the medium to long term and push Samsung and Chinese brands to rethink their foldable plans.
Some orders slip to January as reliability questions grow
TrendForce says Apple’s website showed delivery dates extending into January 2027 for some orders after preorders opened. The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for 256GB, went on sale October 23 in more than 70 countries and reaches 28 more on October 30.
Shipping 5 million units between the October 23 launch and December 31 works out to roughly 500,000 a week for about 10 weeks. Any supply shortfall comes straight out of the 2026 total, so the January delivery dates matter.
The firm calls early user feedback polarized. Owners praise the split-screen multitasking and the unfolded viewing experience. Black borders in some apps and fingerprint authentication add to the learning curve.
Reports of damaged displays and high repair estimates have shifted the buying question to long-term ownership costs. Apple has replaced a small number of units with inner display problems, and one hypothesis from teardowns of damaged displays is that the central support does not retract far enough as the phone folds, which creates stress points. Further improvements would likely center on hinge travel and support height.
