Apple is set to open pre‑orders next month for the iPhone Duo, its first foldable smartphone, a move that industry observers expect to shake up the premium phone market.
Android president Sameer Samat told Tom’s Guide that rather than viewing the iPhone Duo as a threat, Google sees it as a long‑awaited validation of the foldable form factor that Android manufacturers have been refining for years.
Samat added that the “halo effect” of Apple’s entry could increase consumer curiosity about Android foldables, expanding the overall market and giving developers a stronger business case to optimise apps for larger, folding displays.
He pointed out that while Apple has already showcased apps such as Netflix and Slack properly adapted for the iPhone Duo, many Android foldable versions of the same apps still appear as stretched‑out replicas of their phone‑size interfaces.
Analyst firm Counterpoint estimates Apple could capture roughly 25 % of the foldable smartphone market within a year of the iPhone Duo’s launch, underscoring the potential scale of the category.
If the market grows as predicted, Google expects Android OEMs and app developers to accelerate optimisation efforts, which could lead to richer multitasking experiences and a broader ecosystem of foldable‑ready software.