Apple unveils its first foldable, the iPhone Duo

Apple today introduced its first foldable device, named the iPhone Duo, at its Surprise and Shine event held in Cupertino. The phone is the first marquee device launched under the company’s new CEO, John Ternus.

Unlike early iterations of foldables, which looked like vertical slabs, Apple adopted a wider form factor that could aid in a better aspect ratio while watching videos when the device is unfolded.

The unfolded display is a 7.6-inch Retina display, and the outer display is 5.4 inches. The company said that the new device was “inspired by the versatility of iPad” and showed how people can use it unfolded in a vertical mode. The inner display also features an “under-display” camera that can give users an all-screen feel.

Apple said that it used a custom nanotexture finish to hide the crease and reduce glare. Most foldables still have a visible crease, but companies like Oppo have made strides toward an almost seamless phone. The company claimed that its hinge was created using grade 5 aluminum and over 100 special components for smooth opening and closing and durability.

Notably, the device only has Touch ID, with Face ID missing. You can unlock the device using the Apple Watch, though.

The device is powered by the new A20 Pro chip and C2 model, which allows for faster uploads. Just like last year’s iPhone Air, this particular model is eSIM-only.

On the battery front, the company said that with the inner display, users can get 31 hours of video playback, and with the outer display, 44 hours of video playback.

The phone features a 48-megapixel fusion main camera and a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera with 2x optical zoom. This dual-camera setup skips a telephoto camera. Just like other foldables, users can take rear-camera selfies and look at previews on the outer display. It also has a Google Pixel-like feature that plays an animation on the outer display, which is useful when you are trying to get kids to focus while taking photos. There is also a smart-take feature that uses an on-device model and snaps an image when all subjects within the frame are posing.

The company has made iOS 27 adaptable to the new foldable — essential controls like Wi-Fi move to the side and dock on the home screen vertically oriented. Users can use apps in split screen and also pair the apps. If someone is using the phone vertically, they can pin a video on top and use other apps in the bottom half. One of the fascinating features is that users will be able to use the iPhone half folded or even set it on a table. Apple noted that later this year, the device will support Apple Pencil.

The iPhone Duo is priced at $1,999 with 256GB storage and comes in two colors. Preorders for Apple’s new foldable begin on October 16, and the device will be available on October 23.

Rivals like Samsung and Xiaomi have already launched their version of wide foldables before Apple.

According to analytics firm Counterpoint, foldables contribute to less than 2% of shipments in the overall smartphone market. However, Apple’s new phone could be an instant hit, as the analytics firm said the Duo could garner up to 25% market share by the end of the year.