Apple's first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, is drawing strong early demand, according to Pluang, and that interest has helped lift the company's shares despite ongoing concern about the stock's high valuation. The report, published Tuesday, frames the device as a bright spot for Apple at a moment when investors remain cautious about how much the shares are worth.
The iPhone Duo carries a $1,999 price tag, CNBC reported, describing the launch as a test of Apple's ability to sell a device on its status-symbol appeal. Demand appears to have run ahead of expectations: GSMArena reported that shipping dates for many buyers were moved up, suggesting supply is reaching customers sooner than originally indicated. BigGo Finance reported that the phone is off to a solid start and that Fine M-Tech won exclusive supply of the hinge component, beating competitors in China.
Creative Bloq characterized the launch as the kind of fresh product moment Apple had been missing, suggesting the foldable could fill that gap.
The early reception matters for Apple because the foldable category is new territory for the company, and a premium price makes consumer response a key signal. Pluang's report ties the demand to the stock's performance while noting that valuation questions have not gone away.
What to watch next: whether the strong opening holds through the coming weeks and whether shipping timelines stay ahead of schedule as production scales.