The iPhone Duo foldable market share could reach nearly 30% by 2027, according to a forecast from market research firm TrendForce, reported by 9to5Mac on October 28. TrendForce expects Apple to capture 29.8% of the global foldable smartphone market in 2027, which would put it second behind Samsung. Its iPhone Duo sales forecast for this year is 5 million units shipped by the end of 2026, a 24.8% share. The news is not a new number but a held one: TrendForce first published these projections the day after Apple announced the Duo, and after nearly a week of the phone shipping, it reiterated them. Every figure here is a TrendForce forecast, not a sales result; Apple has not released Duo sales numbers.
Key takeaways
- TrendForce forecasts Apple will take 29.8% of the global foldable smartphone market in 2027, second behind Samsung, according to 9to5Mac.
- For 2026, TrendForce forecasts 5 million iPhone Duo units shipped by year end, a 24.8% share.
- TrendForce expects the foldable market to grow just 0.5% in 2026, then reach 23.5 million shipments in 2027, up 16.3%.
- These are the same projections TrendForce published in September. It reiterated them on October 28, after launch week.
- Forecasts are not shipments. Apple has not released sales figures.
What changed since September in the iPhone Duo sales forecast?
In the numbers, nothing. According to 9to5Mac, TrendForce published a report one day after Apple announced the iPhone Duo on September 9, predicting 5 million Duo shipments by the end of 2026 and a 24.8% share of the segment. On October 28, with the Duo shipping for nearly a week, TrendForce published a new report reiterating those projections and forecasting Apple's 29.8% share in 2027.
What changed is the context the forecast survived. The Duo went on sale on October 23. Before that, Apple described pre-order demand as "extraordinary," and new orders slipped to January 2027 delivery dates, as covered in our guide to getting an iPhone Duo sooner. That demand came at a starting price of $1,999 in the US, with local prices in other countries listed in our price by country guide. TrendForce looked at that launch and kept its numbers where they were.
How big will the iPhone Duo's foldable market share be?
TrendForce's forecast shares of the global foldable smartphone market, as reported by 9to5Mac:
| Maker | 2026 share (forecast) | 2027 share (forecast) |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | 24.8% | 29.8% |
| Samsung | 35.1% | 31.9% |
| Huawei | 24.8% | 21.3% |
These are TrendForce forecasts, not results, as reported by 9to5Mac. Apple's 2026 figure was first published in September and reiterated on October 28.
On the overall foldable phone market in 2027, TrendForce's forecast, per 9to5Mac, is 23.5 million shipments, a 16.3% increase. That follows a nearly flat 2026: TrendForce expects the market to grow just 0.5% this year, with shipments from Android brands alone falling by more than 20% year over year. In September, 9to5Mac reports, TrendForce also suggested Apple's entry could help drive future growth through improvements in foldable technology, and that new AI use cases could further boost demand.
Why does TrendForce think Apple gains?
TrendForce's reasoning is about integration. In the words 9to5Mac quotes from the report, "Apple's greatest advantage lies in its ability to integrate chips, operating systems, and its developer ecosystem."
TrendForce adds that as app compatibility and hardware reliability improve, it expects the Duo to further expand the practical value of foldable displays, helping shift competition in the foldable market from form-factor innovation toward multitasking efficiency. Put simply, TrendForce expects foldables to compete more on what you can do with the open screen than on the shape of the device.
Our reality check
This part is our view, not TrendForce's. A forecast is not a shipment count. TrendForce's numbers are projections, and Apple has not released any iPhone Duo sales figures, so there is nothing yet to check them against. TrendForce's own reasoning also leans on hardware reliability improving, and the same launch week brought reports of inner screens cracking along the hinge on a small number of units, which Apple has acknowledged and is replacing. And Apple is reportedly already testing iPhone Duo 2 prototypes, though nothing about a second model has been announced.
Frequently asked questions
How much of the foldable market will the iPhone Duo take in 2027?
TrendForce forecasts that Apple will capture 29.8% of the global foldable smartphone market in 2027, according to 9to5Mac. That would put Apple in second place, behind Samsung at a forecast 31.9% and ahead of Huawei at a forecast 21.3%. These are projections, not sales results.
How many iPhone Duo units will Apple sell in 2026?
TrendForce forecasts that Apple will ship 5 million iPhone Duo units by the end of 2026, a 24.8% share of the foldable segment, according to 9to5Mac. TrendForce first published that projection the day after the Duo was announced and reiterated it on October 28, 2026. Apple has not released sales figures.
Who leads the foldable phone market?
Samsung, in TrendForce's forecast. TrendForce expects Samsung's share of the foldable smartphone market to fall from 35.1% in 2026 to 31.9% in 2027 but stay in first place, with Apple second at 29.8% in 2027 and Huawei third at 21.3%, according to 9to5Mac.
Is the foldable phone market growing?
Barely in 2026, then faster in 2027, according to TrendForce's forecast as reported by 9to5Mac. TrendForce expects the foldable smartphone market to grow just 0.5% in 2026, with Android brand shipments falling more than 20% year over year, and then to reach 23.5 million shipments in 2027, up 16.3%.
Sources
- 9to5Mac, "iPhone Duo could capture nearly 30% of foldable market in 2027, per report," Marcus Mendes, October 28, 2026: all TrendForce forecasts (2026 and 2027 shares for Apple, Samsung and Huawei, 5 million units, 0.5% and 16.3% market growth, 23.5 million shipments, Android decline), the September report and the October 28 reiteration, and the quoted reasoning.
- Image: Apple.