The new iPhone Duo model from Apple has appeared in South Africa. According to information posted on the iStore website, the price for the 256 GB version will be R47,999, and for the 2 TB version—R76,999. This makes the foldable phone the most expensive among the models offered in the Apple reseller's assortment.
The most expensive Duo version at 2 TB costs R17,000 more than the iPhone 18 Pro Max at 2 TB, which iStore sells for R59,999. Between these models are options: the Duo at 512 GB is priced at R52,999, and the 1 TB model at R62,499. The Duo is available for pre-order, with iStore stating that delivery will take one to two weeks.
Local prices were lower than the forecasts made by TechCentral in September, when it was expected that the base model would cost over R50,000, and the 2 TB version over R80,000.
Furthermore, iStore has opened pre-orders for new Apple home devices. The HomeView smart display and the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K are priced at R6,299 and will ship from November 13. The HomePod mini 2 is priced at R3,499, and the previous Apple TV 4K model from 2022 is on sale from R4,199.
When compared to US prices, the Duo has a significantly higher markup in South Africa compared to home devices. In the US, the Duo costs between US$1,999 and $3,199 before taxes. Converting at an exchange rate of approximately R16.46 to the dollar and adding 15% South African VAT, the base model should have cost around R37,800. However, its price is R47,999, representing a premium of approximately 27%, and this gap is similar across all four storage levels.
The HomeView and the new Apple TV 4K, both priced at $299, have a local markup of about 11% on the same basis. The HomePod mini 2, priced at $149, costs approximately 24% more. Although some markup compared to direct conversion is normal due to currency fluctuations and distributor costs, the markup for the Duo exceeds this amount more than twice as much as for the HomeView and Apple TV.
HomeView is a 7-inch display that can be mounted on a wall or placed on a desk, and it is used for home control and viewing entertainment content. It is built around Apple's enhanced Siri, which is available in South Africa.