Apple’s latest product launch during the recent “Surprise and Shine” event sparked strong reactions from influencers on X. While the iPhone Duo’s price drew immediate attention, influencers also pointed to Apple’s simultaneous price increases across older and mainstream iPhone models as evidence that the company is resetting the pricing structure of its wider portfolio. Many influencers interpreted the Duo launch as Apple using a highly anticipated new form factor to justify a broader rise in iPhone prices, protect margins, and shift more buyers toward higher-value models, says GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.
Shreyasee Majumder, Social Media Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Influencers largely treated Apple’s pricing decisions as a portfolio-level strategy rather than a launch-day detail. The reaction suggests many believe Apple is using the iPhone Duo to stretch premium pricing across the lineup, expand average selling prices, and capture more value from existing customers instead of chasing volume growth at the lower end.
“Influencers discussing higher memory costs, margin protection, and pressure to move buyers toward Pro-tier devices indicate that they see this as a financially disciplined move as much as a product one. However, influencers also raised the risk that if the company pushes too far, especially in price-sensitive markets, it could lengthen replacement cycles or turn the Duo into more of a halo product than a volume driver.”
Below are a few popular influencer opinions captured by GlobalData’s Social Media Analytics Platform:
“The new foldable iPhone Duo is sick. No seam. Ultra thin. 50% larger screen than Pro Max. My take: They’re going to sell more than I thought before seeing it. I was thinking it would account for 5% of iPhone revenue in FY27. Now I think likely going to be 10%. The issue is the price. We don’t have it yet, but it will be $2k plus. $AAPL”
“Apple is making the exact same mistake they made with the Vision Pro. $AAPL DUO is targeting a niche market of foldable phones & charging an insane price of $1,900+ They haven’t learned anything from Sony’s mistakes or their own failures. Zero innovation”
“In July, Apple said it received tariff refunds that helped its third quarter (Q3) earnings, with overall revenue of $109 billion. Instead of refunding customers, Apple hiked the prices of its older-model iPhones by $100 on Wednesday. $AAPL”
“Generally a good vibe in the HQ today watching the Apple event. $2k for a new foldable phone. I liked the new phone but is ‘$2k the new $1k’ ? (Thanks Brett) $AAPL”
“….Apple has one potential solution: move consumers further up the pricing ladder. The rumored ultra-premium foldable iPhone, potentially priced around $2,200–$2,500, could allow Apple to increase its average selling price without raising the price of every model by the same amount. But that only works if consumers believe they’re getting something genuinely different. If the foldable feels like a true new generation of iPhone, Apple may have another major premium category. If it feels more like an expensive gimmick, the market could push back quickly….”
“Apple just made iPhones significantly more expensive in India iPhone 17 has jumped from ₹82,900 to ₹99,900 for the 256GB model. It’s around a 20% hike. Apple has raised prices across multiple models following its latest iPhone launch, including the iPhone 16, iPhone 17e and iPhone Air”
