Apple (AAPL.US) nears a 5 trillion USD market capitalization, targeting Nvidia: the 1,999 USD foldable screen Duo becomes a critical battle.

According to Golden Ten Data APP, the new iPhone from Apple (AAPL.US) has debuted, which may serve as the ticket for this consumer tech giant to reclaim the throne of market capitalization. And it is not far from this goal.

The recent rally in the stock has put its market value just 2% away from 5 trillion USD. Perhaps even more noteworthy, Apple is now less than 10% away from surpassing NVIDIA (NVDA.US) to become the company with the highest market capitalization.

Currently, Apple’s business growth pace is not as fast as NVIDIA’s, but the market cap gap is shrinking. NVIDIA investors shouldn’t be too discouraged, as the stock has risen 26% over the past year. However, Apple’s share price has surged more than 40% over the same period. Momentum is on Apple’s side—and this is before the launch of its breakthrough device.

Turning the Tide

For more than a decade, Apple has followed a predictable pattern: double-digit revenue growth in the fiscal year it releases a revolutionary iPhone model, followed by two years—or, in recent years, even longer—of single-digit or negative growth, as it settles for incremental smartphone upgrades.

Apple is on track to finish fiscal 2026 at the end of this month, achieving its first double-digit revenue growth in five years. Performance in the first three quarters ending in late June has already been strong. The new iPhone 18 series, launching this Friday, should cement its good fortune at the close of fiscal 2026. But the story doesn’t end there. Apple is about to do something it hasn’t done in 14 years—and it all hinges on its most expensive iPhone ever.

iPhone Duo

The iPhone Duo will launch on October 23, with pre-orders starting a week earlier, at a starting price of at least $1,999. This is $800 higher than the iPhone 18 Pro released last weekend.

It’s easy to be skeptical about this pricey phone. Apple has previously lost competitiveness due to excessive pricing. Its Vision Pro mixed reality headset failed to gain traction because of its high $3,699 price tag. The Lisa, Power Mac G4 Cube, and HomePod are also historical examples of Apple testing product pricing flexibility and paying the price.

But some analysts believe the iPhone Duo will find its audience. As the first foldable-screen iPhone, it folds down to the size of a passport, earning style points. Leading wireless carriers will continue to subsidize phone purchases through multi-year contracts, a condition that failed Apple products at similar price points in the past did not have.

As long as the iPhone Duo launches next month without major defects—such as foldable screens prone to cracking—Apple will see strong sales in fiscal 2027. Analysts are already projecting 10.5% revenue growth for Apple next year. If this proves true, it will mark Apple’s first consecutive years of double-digit revenue growth since fiscal 2012. Now that would be a Duo worth celebrating.