Apple introduced its first foldable device today, the iPhone Duo, at a Cupertino event called "Surprise and Shine." It's the debut product launch for new CEO John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook earlier this month, and Apple is calling it the biggest change to iPhone since the original.
Design and display
Opened, the Duo is the thinnest iPhone Apple has ever made, built around a 7.6-inch inner display, the largest screen ever put on an iPhone. A nano-texture finish cuts glare and helps hide the crease. Closed, a 5.4-inch outer display covers more than 90% of the screen area on the iPhone 18 Pro, so the phone stays pocketable rather than turning into a tablet-sized slab.
What's inside
Power comes from the new A20 Pro chip, built on 2nm technology with active vapor cooling, paired with a dual-battery system for all-day use. The camera system is a 48MP Dual Fusion setup with new shooting modes built around the fold itself, including a Smart Take feature that uses the half-open phone as a hands-free tripod and captures photos automatically once everyone's in frame.
Software built for the fold
iOS has been reworked rather than just stretched. Split View lets two apps run side by side, key controls move to the side in vertical orientation, and Standby turns the closed phone into a bedside clock. Apple Pencil support is planned but won't be ready at launch.
Price and availability
The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for 256GB, climbing toward $3,000 at the top storage tier. Preorders open October 16, with sales starting October 23, a few weeks behind the rest of the iPhone 18 lineup.
Where it sits in the market
Samsung, Huawei, Motorola, Xiaomi and Oppo have all sold foldables for years, and the category still makes up a small share of global smartphone sales. Apple's wider, squatter form factor breaks from the vertical-slab designs rivals have favored, and the company is betting its entry pulls foldables toward the mainstream the way it has with past product categories.
Sources: Apple Newsroom · TechCrunch · CNN Business
