AliExpress Lists Over 300,000 iPhone Duo Accessories as Apple Debuts First Foldable iPhone

Leiphone said AliExpress began recruiting accessory merchants two months before the launch. By the debut, the platform had more than 300,000 new cases and screen protectors. Demand signals had also risen: since August, searches for iPhone18-related accessories on AliExpress increased 182 percent from July, while searches for the keyword 'iPhone folding screen' rose eightfold.

The foldable form factor is not only a change in size. It is also pushing accessory categories toward new designs. According to an AliExpress phone and communications accessories specialist cited by Leiphone, this year's iPhone protective cases are moving from one-piece designs to multi-segment clasps to fit the hinge structure, while MagSafe magnetic compatibility solutions are being iterated. Materials range from basic TPU to leather, Kevlar and Alcantara, with prices spanning from a few dollars to tens of dollars.

Accessory functions are also diversifying. On the AliExpress app, cases for the iPhone Duo include gradient models with heart-shaped lanyards, painted stand versions with magnetic wireless charging, and leather card-holder models bundled with a touch pen. A phone case is no longer just a protective layer; according to the report, each product combines at least two functions.

To capture the opportunity, factory-type merchants on AliExpress predicted the new phone's appearance and dimensions at least four months in advance, speeding up mold opening and mass production. AliExpress also guided style and function design based on consumer habits in different markets. U.S. users prioritize drop protection, making rugged three-proof designs and thick frames essential; Korean users favor photo-ready transparent gradient and mirror reflective cases; Brazilian users prefer high-saturation contrasting colors and football themes; Middle Eastern users favor gold and full-diamond designs.

During the upcoming September promotion, AliExpress plans to open an iPhone accessory special, working with core markets including Europe and the United States, Brazil, Korea and the Middle East and investing warehousing and marketing resources to build momentum for new products. The report said the global phone accessory market is expanding with the development of foldable screens and AI, and AliExpress's phone and communications accessory category is growing far above the industry average, with high double-digit growth in the United States, Brazil, the Middle East and the UK-Australia region. The report described AliExpress's role as having moved from a sales channel to a main venue for brands going overseas; its Brand+ program offers an end-to-end solution covering research and development, stocking, launch and scaling, helping merchants raise average order value and build brand recognition.

Shenzhen-based mid-to-high-end accessory brand Jiletang joined AliExpress in 2012. Its cases and films average $10, and its repurchase rate is stable at 30 percent. Its AliExpress operations head said each September iPhone launch is an important sales node, with the store seeing a wave of sales after the new phone is released that lasts until the end of the month and reaches four to five times normal levels.

Shanmo, which has long ranked No. 1 in phone screen protector sales on Tmall, has operated on AliExpress for nine years and joined the platform's Brand+ overseas expansion program this year. With Brand+ authenticity certification and marketing resources, its average monthly GMV has maintained 80 percent year-on-year growth. It began stocking iPhone accessories in June, prepared more than 10,000 new phone films for AliExpress in the first batch, and officially began selling during the August promotion, with the first order coming from Israel.

Every iPhone launch acts as a starting gun for the accessory industry, and AliExpress has run ahead this year.