The iPhone Duo, Apple's first flip phone, is on display at one of the company's product launch events on September 9, 2026 Photo: VCG

Apple's first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, has attracted a great deal of attention in China. One of the most-discussed topics is whether its starting price of 15,999 yuan ($2,230) is really worth it. As CNBC put it, the iPhone Duo is facing "China's crowded foldable market." Homegrown brands Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor, OPPO and Vivo already offer foldable products, and Huawei even has tri-fold phones. Reuters said Huawei owns China's foldable market today, and that "the real fight is China."

Apple has long built its appeal around "originality," but it is now beginning to draw inspiration from the Chinese market. Reports suggest that former Apple CEO Tim Cook finally made up his mind to push ahead with foldable phones after returning from visits to China and other Asian markets where he saw growing numbers of consumers using folding devices from Huawei and Samsung. From once setting trends that inspired waves of imitation to now looking to the Chinese market for inspiration, Apple's changing approach reflects the continuous upgrading of China's manufacturing industry.

China has long been one of the world's most fiercely competitive battlegrounds for foldable phones, so Apple faces a big test. After years of trial and error, Chinese manufacturers have developed mature solutions for hinges, multi-screen interaction and lightweight design, leaving little room for brand premiums to automatically translate into sales. Chinese consumers are already accustomed to comparing inner displays and outer screens, battery life, repair costs and compatibility side by side. Yet the value of the Chinese market lies precisely in its ability to help companies identify technological directions and then put them through the test of fierce market competition - making China the "world's toughest gym" for global companies.

"Test and refine in China, then take what works to the world" is an emerging trend across many industries. Volkswagen, for example, regards China as a training ground for new-energy vehicles, following the pace of Chinese automakers to shorten its R&D cycles. Many overseas consumer brands are also leveraging China's highly digitalized market to refine new products before taking proven models to overseas markets. A complete industrial chain, increasingly "picky" consumers and a rapidly changing market environment make China a uniquely challenging "gym" for companies looking to enhance their competitive prowess. The iPhone Duo's global launch also offers a glimpse of Apple's continued emphasis on China: China was included in the first batch of more than 70 countries and regions for simultaneous release, dispelling speculation that the rollout of some high-end models might be delayed in China.

We welcome Apple's entry into China's foldable market. But whether the iPhone Duo is truly "worth it" is for consumers to decide. This question has yet to be answered. But one thing is certain: Whoever keeps refining technology and optimizing user experience in the Chinese market will find it easier to build up competitive advantages for the next stage. This applies to both Chinese and foreign companies.