Apple's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, is being exclusively assembled at Foxconn's factories in China as the company opens pre-orders for the new device. The move highlights China's strengths in advanced manufacturing and its continued importance in Apple's global supply chain, Chinese industry observers said. Apple Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan visited Foxconn's manufacturing complex in Zhengzhou, Henan province earlier this month, inspecting key production processes for the iPhone Duo, as well as production lines for the iPhone 18 Pro's rear camera modules, anodized frames and system-on-a-chip components. Asked about production capacity for the iPhone Duo, Khan said that teams had been working on manufacturing development for the innovative product and were now scaling up production in line with Apple's high quality standards. iPhone Duo pre-orders started on October 16 and the smartphone will go on sale on October 23. The device features a 7.6-inch inner display and a 5.4-inch outer display, with a starting price of CNY15,999 in China, according to Apple's official website.
Manufacturing the foldable device presents considerable technical challenges. According to Foxconn staff, its hinge contains more than 100 miniature components that must fit precisely together. Apple and Foxconn developed customized automated equipment using laser scanning, machine-learning algorithms and micron-level 3D printing to improve surface flatness and minimize display creases.
Wang Peng, Associate Researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that unlike conventional smartphones, foldable devices require greater precision and closer coordination among component suppliers, equipment manufacturers and assembly plants. China's mature industrial ecosystem provides important advantages in meeting these requirements. Wang noted that China's competitive edge goes beyond its manufacturing scale. The country has accumulated extensive experience in precision engineering, automated production and supply chain coordination, allowing manufacturers to turn complex designs into products suitable for mass production while maintaining consistent quality. Such capabilities are particularly important for a first-generation product involving new manufacturing processes.
Despite Apple's efforts to diversify production across different countries, Wang said that China's role in high-end electronics manufacturing remains difficult to replace in the short term. The case of the iPhone Duo shows that global supply chain competition increasingly depends not simply on production costs, but also on technological capabilities, manufacturing efficiency and the strength of supporting industries, he said, as reported by the Global Times.
Meanwhile, China has granted approval for Alibaba Group Holding’s artificial intelligence models to be integrated into several Apple handsets, including the new iPhone Duo, in the Chinese market, also clearing the way for the long-delayed launch of Apple Intelligence in the country. Three AI systems have been approved for inclusion into the handsets: Apple Intelligence and Alibaba’s Tongyi Qianwen and Tongyi Wanxiang, the South China Morning Post adds.
