Market research firm Counterpoint Research has estimated that Apple (AAPL.US) will sell roughly 6 million iPhone Duo units this year, marking the industry's first sales forecast for the new foldable device.

Ivan Lam, a senior analyst at Counterpoint, noted that this figure aligns more closely with the niche nature of the foldable segment rather than the shipment volumes of Apple's standard flagship models, and that final sales will depend on how quickly the company ramps up production of the new hardware.

Priced at $1,999 and scheduled for an official launch in October, the iPhone Duo sits at the very top of Apple's product lineup and carries the industry's hopes for sparking broader interest and higher sales in the foldable market.

Market research firm IDC estimates that, driven by Apple, foldable phone shipments will grow 13% this year to 22.9 million units. According to IDC, without the iPhone Duo, this segment would have posted a decline.

Counterpoint also noted that the iPhone 18 Pro series, launched alongside the iPhone Duo, has generated strong early momentum in the Chinese market. This generation of Pro models marks the first time a standard iteration was not released, pushing upgrade buyers toward the higher-priced Pro versions and lifting first-sale volumes 12% above those of the iPhone 17 Pro.

Against the backdrop of a 17% year-on-year decline in China's overall smartphone market and mounting pressure on domestic manufacturers, Apple has delivered standout results against the trend. On the strength of this performance, Apple captured a 33% share of China's smartphone market.

Amid rising component costs, all phone makers are raising prices in an attempt to offset declining shipments with higher per-unit revenue, which has eroded the cost advantage of domestic rivals and benefited Apple's pricing strategy.

"Multiple Chinese flagship models have seen price increases of more than $200, raising the market's price anchor and further highlighting the iPhone's value-for-money advantage," Lam said.