Apple has officially entered the foldable smartphone market with the announcement of the new iPhone Duo.
The iPhone Duo makes its debut seven years after Samsung launched its first foldable smartphone and on the heels of a recent launch by Huawei. Pre-orders for the device begin in October.
After running through the launches of the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5, Ternus saved the foldable for last but drew a quick distinction between the Duo and competing devices.
“Others have created foldables that just feel like two phones awkwardly stuck together”, new CEO John Ternus said during the company’s Surprise and Shine event on the 9th September 2026.
He described the Duo as having “a larger display that feels as natural and intuitive as iPad,” and stated it has the “largest display ever on an iPhone, while still fitting easily in your pocket”.
Duo specs
Once opened, the doublewide screen is 50% larger than the size of the iPhone 18 Pro Max and measures 7.6 inches on the diagonal, stated Greg Joswiak, Apple’s SVP for worldwide marketing.
The device pairs a mirror-polished grade 5 titanium chassis with a custom precision hinge engineered from over 100 components to deliver structural stiffness and smooth operation.
Powering the device is the A20 Pro chip built on a 2nm process, coupled with a custom vapor chamber cooling system, 16-core Neural Engine, and a 7-core GPU.
The device runs on iOS 27, which introduces side-by-side Split View multitasking to the iPhone lineup, and features an under-display FaceTime camera on the main panel alongside a side-mounted Touch ID sensor integrated into the power button.
The imaging hardware centres on a 48MP Fusion Main camera capable of 4K120 fps Dolby Vision recording, complemented by a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera with macro support and a Center Stage front sensor.
The dual-battery architecture supports up to 31 hours of continuous video playback on the main screen or up to 44 hours on the cover screen, with support for fast wired charging as well as MagSafe and Qi2 wireless standards.
On the connectivity front, the device is eSIM-only globally, holds an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, and incorporates Apple’s custom C2 cellular modem system along with the N1 wireless chip. The C2 modem integrates support for US mmWave 5G spectrum alongside Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.
Available in star white and night sky finishes, the iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for the base 256GB storage tier, with additional options extending to 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB. Pre-orders open on 16 October, with broad retail launch following on 23 October.
Anshu Goel, Lead Analyst, Digital Consumer at GSMA Intelligence, told Mobile World Live the Duo price point is worth watching going forward.
“While the quality and iOS customisation for Duo look good, this price point will limit demand”, he explained. “However, Apple customers are unlikely to go looking elsewhere if considering a foldable purchase”.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max
Apple also unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, both powered by the same A20 Pro chip as the Duo. The pair introduce a redesigned 48MP variable-aperture main camera with physical aperture blades, a first for iPhone, alongside a slimmer Dynamic Island now capable of displaying up to three simultaneous Live Activities. New colour options include Burgundy and Glacier.
Pricing rose $100 over the equivalent iPhone 17 models, with the 18 Pro starting at $1,199 and the Pro Max at $1,299.
Source: Mobile World Live
Image Credit: Apple
Source: Tahawul Tech
