More or Less · Topics · Episode #166
The iPhone Duo Costs More Than a MacBook — and Apple's Betting the Real Market Is China
Clip from the full recording, 10:07–12:49 · download mp4
At $2,000 to $3,000, Brit thinks the price alone should scare off buyers — but she, Dave and Jess all agree the real reason Apple finally built a foldable is a China-shaped hole in its lineup.
The price lands hard: roughly $2,000 for the base Duo, $3,000 for the 2TB version — “more expensive than a MacBook,” Brit says, comparing it to buying two Studio Displays that fit in your pocket. She still expects novelty and early-adopter buzz to drive sales despite the sticker shock, framing it as an iPad and iPhone bundled into one device and priced roughly like both together.
Jess and Dave push on the actual strategic “why”: foldables have existed for years (Samsung shipped one long ago) without Apple bothering to compete, so something must have changed. Dave’s answer is China — the folding form factor is reportedly the favorite in Asian markets, and multiple whispers from the launch suggest Apple is chasing share it’s been ceding there.
Key points
- Base price: roughly $2,000 for iPhone Duo, roughly $3,000 for the 2TB "pro" version.
- Brit: it costs more than a MacBook, and is like buying two $1,500 Studio Displays that fit in a pocket.
- Brit still expects real demand from novelty and early adopters despite the price.
- Jess's framing question: foldables aren't new (Samsung's been shipping them for years) — so why is Apple entering now?
- Dave's answer, from launch-day whispers: the foldable is the favorite phone format in Asia, and China specifically is the opportunity Apple is chasing.
- The accessory ecosystem will need to be rebuilt from scratch for the new folded form factor.
Where they landed
Quotes
“This is like more expensive than a MacBook. It's crazy.”— Brit
“For Apple to enter this category... they have to see a big opportunity slash pseudo be afraid of something. And it must be Asia.”— Jessica
“I think the opportunity is China... my understanding is that in China, this is the favorite form factor.”— Dave
Suggested tweets
iPhone Duo pricing: ~$2,000 base, ~$3,000 for 2TB. Brit Morin's math: "This is like two Studio Displays that can fit in my pocket."
Tweet this →Why did Apple suddenly build a foldable after years of ignoring the category? Dave Morin's answer in one word: China.
Tweet this →Samsung's had a folding phone for years. Apple waited. Now the More or Less crew is trying to figure out what changed — and the answer might be a market Apple's been quietly losing.
Tweet this →All topics · Full episode #166 + transcript · Subscribe on YouTube · Spotify