The official price of the new iPhone Duo—Apple's long-awaited debut in the foldable device market—was confirmed on Friday.
The base model iPhone Duo with 256 GB costs R47,999. Although the device starts at $1,999 in the US (which is approximately R32,789), local import duties and taxes add about R15,216 to the final cost.
Despite this amount being difficult to justify even for the company's first step into the foldable phone segment from Cupertino, it turned out to be slightly lower than initial industry forecasts, which anticipated a starting price of R50,000.
As the storage capacity increases, the cost rises significantly: the 512 GB version will cost R52,999, the 1 TB option is priced at R62,499, and the top configuration of 2 TB reaches an impressive price of R76,999.
Foldable phones continue to remain a niche area in the overall smartphone ecosystem, mainly due to high price barriers. Competitors in the Samsung Fold line operate in a similar premium range, but devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 or Huawei Mate X7 may offer greater overall value for money.
To illustrate the price difference, it can be noted that by foregoing the base iPhone Duo with 256 GB, a user could easily purchase the flagship iPhone 18 Pro Max with 1 TB for R45,699.
Ultimately, the main reason for the high price of the Duo is its novelty. It represents a completely new form factor in Apple's catalog and marks the technology giant's official entry into the foldable technology sector.
In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 starts from R40,999 for the 256 GB version, offering a more accessible entry point for foldable device enthusiasts. Since Samsung has been perfecting its flexible display technology since 2019, this appears to be a much more reliable choice than spending hard-earned capital on a first-generation Apple device.
Nevertheless, it is expected that soon many iPhone Duos will appear in the hands of early adopters who are not deterred by the price. Pre-orders opened on Friday, and delivery is expected in one to two weeks.