iPhone Duo: analyst explains how big of a revenue opportunity it really is

Apple AAPL shares remain in focus following the titan’s launch event yesterday (September 9^th), where it unveiled its first-ever foldable iPhone.  

The iPhone Duo set to hit store shelves on October 23 has generated immediate enthusiasm despite its steep price point ($1,999).

Evercore ISI analyst Amit Daryanani, who maintains a Buy rating and a $365 price target on Apple stock, projects that demand for the foldable iPhone will initially outstrip manufacturing capacity.

He expects early unit sales to be dictated entirely by production volume – not consumer appetite.

Evercore is bullish on initial demand for iPhone duo

In an interview this morning with CNBC, Daryanani noted that he walked into Apple’s event with a healthy degree of skepticism – comparing its foldable device to existing offerings from the likes of Samsung.  

However, hands-on experience with the exterior and interior displays changed his perspective.

He highlighted that “the crease is nonexistent” on the inner screen, attributing this achievement to a combination of precise hardware engineering, custom software integration, and a matte screen finish that minimizes visual glare.

In fact, Daryanani emphasized that “this phone is going to sell as many units as Apple can produce, at least in the near term, the next 3 to 6 months.”

According to him, if the iPhone duo captures just 5% of Apple’s install base, it will generate about $25 billion in revenue.

Daryanani sees the iPhone Duo price as attractive

Addressing the $1,999 baseline cost, Daryanani expressed pleasant surprise, noting that the figure came in below the higher figures circulating among some analysts prior to the event.

He observed that Apple kept entry-level price point relatively approachable across its new product lines – including the iPhone Pro tiers – while shifting the bulk of its price hike to higher-tier storage configurations, such as the 1TB and 2TB models.

By offering aggressive trade-in options alongside an attractive entry price, Apple is lowering the adoption barrier for mainstream consumers.

Daryanani believes this balanced tiering structure positions AAPL to drive “significant” top-line expansion while maintaining strong overall gross margins across its hardware lineup.

Key execution metrics to watch moving forward

While initial supply constraints will likely bottleneck early sales, Amit Daryanani outlined critical execution benchmarks for the coming quarters.

Primary metrics to monitor include the physical durability of the hinge mechanism over repeated daily folds and real-world battery performance under heavy video consumption.

Moreover, full-scale software integration remains a key variable; while iOS 27 introduces tailored features, Apple’s broader artificial intelligence ecosystem – specifically the next-gen Siri AI – is still in beta and awaiting compelling native use cases.

As detailed consumer reviews emerge and pre-orders officially launch next week, early delivery lead times will serve as the first definitive gauge of sustained market demand beyond the initial wave.