The new foldable iPhone Duo is displayed during Apple's launch event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California, on Sept. 9.
Apple's first-ever foldable iPhone, the Duo, is stirring controversy in Korea even before it arrives.
Apple's first foldable iPhone was always expected to carry a premium price but few anticipated it would be this expensive.
“I think the position of the iPhone Duo is basically the Vision Pro of phones,” one online poster wrote.
One U.S.-based commenter, who said they have used an iPhone 11 for seven years, wrote that they plan to buy the iPhone Duo.
The new foldable iPhone Duo is displayed during Apple's launch event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California, on Sept. 9. REUTERS/YONHAP
Apple’s first foldable iPhone impressed Korean fans, but its 3.29 million won ($2,370) starting price may boost sales of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8, which is 1.01 million won less expensive.
Apple's first-ever foldable iPhone, the Duo, is stirring controversy in Korea even before it arrives. Local iPhone fans are counting down the days until it arrives, but even some Apple faithful are balking at its sky-high starting price of 3.29 million won ($2,370).
While almost everyone can appreciate Apple's latest sleek design, many in Korea are finding the price tag to be eye-watering.
The Duo's Korean retail price is $371 more expensive than its U.S. price. Korean consumers are comparing the phone to Samsung's latest device with a passport-style design, the Galaxy Z Fold8, which sells for 1.01 million won less. That's a difference of about $730, hard for even die-hard Apple fans to completely ignore.
Korea's price for the iPhone Duo isn't especially high compared to other countries. Apple has said the handset will be available for preorder in 18 markets starting Oct. 16, including the United States, and will first arrive worldwide on Oct. 23. Korea's retail price for the base model ranks a moderate seventh-cheapest, roughly on par with Singapore's pricing and about a 20 percent premium over the U.S. price.
That cost seems modest next to the most expensive market, Turkey, where the phone is priced at 229,999 lira ($4,725), a 136 percent markup over what the same model costs in the United States.
Apple has never given a clear explanation for why its products are priced differently across markets. The company locks in local currency prices at launch, and the gap reflects a mix of duties, regulatory fees and other factors it doesn't disclose. Currency movements also affect local pricing, particularly when a country's currency weakens against the dollar.
Apple's first foldable iPhone was always expected to carry a premium price but few anticipated it would be this expensive. Many domestic consumers seem shocked that a smartphone's starting price could surpass 3 million won.
For consumers in Korea, Samsung’s home turf, the price feels especially galling given that the Galaxy Z Fold8 launched just a month earlier.
New Apple CEO John Ternus holds the new foldable iPhone Duo during Apple's launch event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California, on Sept. 9. REUTERS/YONHAP
On Thursday, the Korean telecom industry reported that Fold8 sales surged about 10 percent in the week following the iPhone Duo's unveiling compared to the previous week. Domestic media interpreted the news as meaning that buyers who had been holding off on purchasing a new foldable device until seeing Apple's offer device had shifted decisively toward Samsung's Galaxy.
The Fold8 starts at 2.28 million won for the base model. Even the Fold8 Ultra, a premium model with the series' highest storage option of 1TB, is still cheaper than the iPhone Duo's base model.
“I think the position of the iPhone Duo is basically the Vision Pro of phones,” one online poster wrote. “The device is expensive. Repairs are expensive. AppleCare is expensive. And maintaining that nano-texture finish inside is a hassle. It's really a phone for rich people.”
Another commenter, who said they switched to the Fold8 from the iPhone Air, said Apple's design lived up to expectations but that the price then cooled their enthusiasm.
Galaxy Z 8 series devices are displayed at Samsung Store Hongdae in Mapo District, western Seoul, on July 28. NEWS1
“I kept admiring one feature after another [after the iPhone Duo unveiling], but then I saw the Korean price and my enthusiasm cooled fast,” they wrote, adding that carrying around the Duo would require extra care and that they were concerned about its hinge durability. “If I had preordered the Fold8 512GB, it would have cost around 2 million won. But the Duo starts at 3.29 million won for the base model. Add AppleCare or a storage upgrade, and you're looking at the high 3 million or close to 4 million won [range].”
Contrary to market forecasts that the iPhone Duo would be priced above $2,000 in the United States, Apple managed to keep its starting price gap with the Fold8 to just $100, a move that appears aimed at protecting market share on its home turf.
One U.S.-based commenter, who said they have used an iPhone 11 for seven years, wrote that they plan to buy the iPhone Duo.
“I'm in the [United States]. At this point, the price gap between the Galaxy Fold8 and the iPhone is nearly nonexistent,” they wrote. “I bought the iPhone 11 the moment it launched and have been using it for seven years. Honestly, I still have no complaints about it, but I feel like it's time to switch. The 512GB model I plan on buying would run $91 a month under Apple Pay's 24-month, zero-interest plan, which doesn't seem bad either.”
Weight is another point of frequent comparison between the two devices. The Duo is heavier and thicker than the Fold8, and with a case or accessories such as a grip attachment added, the gap would likely feel larger than the 53-gram (1.87-ounce) difference suggests.
The Galaxy Z Fold8 is displayed at Samsung's Gangnam store in southern Seoul on Aug. 7. Samsung Electronics has promoted its latest foldable as the lightest in the world at 201 grams (7 ounces). NEWS1
“Apple's software is good enough to make you wonder what Samsung has been doing for the past seven years,” another commenter wrote. “But the phone's thickness and weight raise the opposite question: Is this really acceptable in 2026? If the competition pushes Samsung to improve its software and Apple to slim down its hardware, consumers come out ahead either way.”
Apple's success with the new form factor could ultimately benefit Samsung too, according to Bloomberg. Although Samsung entered the foldable market seven years ago, the category remains a niche, only accounting for about 2 percent of global smartphone shipments today, according to Counterpoint Research. The iPhone Duo's release could accelerate that growth significantly, the report suggests, potentially marking the start of foldables becoming a mainstream category, one built around new AI features and a wider, portable display capable of replacing a laptop or tablet for many everyday tasks.
BY LEE JAE-LIM [[email protected]]
