Apple unveils its first foldable, the iPhone Duo

Apple on Wednesday introduced its first foldable device, the iPhone Duo, at its Surprise and Shine event in Cupertino — the first marquee device launched under new CEO John Ternus. Unlike early foldables that used a narrower, vertical-slab form factor, Apple adopted a wider design meant to give a better aspect ratio for watching video when unfolded, which the company said draws on the versatility of the iPad. Users can also use the device unfolded in a vertical mode.

The unfolded inner display is a 7.6-inch Retina screen; the outer display measures 5.4 inches. The inner display includes an under-display camera for an all-screen look. Apple used a custom nanotexture finish to hide the crease and reduce glare — a persistent complaint about foldables, most of which still show a visible crease, though rivals like Oppo have narrowed the gap. The hinge is made from grade-5 aluminum with over 100 specially engineered components for smooth opening, closing, and durability, the company said.

The Duo skips Face ID, relying only on Touch ID, though users can also unlock it with an Apple Watch. It runs on the new A20 Pro chip and a C2 model that Apple says enables faster uploads, and, like last year’s iPhone Air, it is eSIM-only. Battery life reaches 31 hours of video playback using the inner display and 44 hours using the outer display. The camera system pairs a 48-megapixel main sensor with a 48-megapixel ultrawide and 2x optical zoom, skipping a telephoto lens; as with other foldables, users can shoot rear-camera selfies with a live preview on the outer display. iOS 27 has been adapted for the new form factor — with controls like Wi-Fi docking vertically on the home screen and support for split-screen and paired apps — and Apple said the device will support the Apple Pencil later this year.

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 with 256GB of storage and comes in two colors. Preorders begin October 16, with the device arriving in stores October 23 — after Samsung and Xiaomi have already launched their own wide foldables. Foldables still make up less than 2% of overall smartphone shipments, according to analytics firm Counterpoint, though the firm said the Duo could capture up to 25% of that segment by the end of the year.

Why it matters

Apple entering the foldable category — years after Samsung and Xiaomi — could be the catalyst that finally pushes folding phones from a niche format into the mainstream, given the company’s outsized influence on premium-phone buying habits.