Apple faces make-or-break test in China’s foldable phone market

Apple faces a critical test in China, the world's largest foldable phone market, where demand for rival devices is surging ahead of its new iPhone Duo launch. Winning over Chinese consumers is key to expanding the niche category. Huawei's Pura X Max sales jumped 77% in the four days after Apple's September announcement, with over 1.4 million units sold since April. Xiaomi's 18 Fold also set record first-week sales. Huawei leads China's foldable market, having released its first folding phone in 2019. Foldables represent about 4% of Chinese smartphone sales and 2% globally. The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 in the U.S. and 15,999 yuan in China, with preorders opening Oct. 16. Counterpoint projects Apple will capture 25% of the global foldables market this year, surpassing Huawei's 22%.