Apple has entered the foldable smartphone market with the launch of the iPhone Duo, unveiling its first foldable iPhone at a major product event in Cupertino on Wednesday.
The launch marked the first major Apple product presentation under new CEO John Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook as chief executive on September 1 after 15 years under Cook’s leadership.
The iPhone Duo represents Apple’s long-awaited response to a category pioneered by Samsung, whose Galaxy Fold entered the mainstream market in 2019.
Apple is arriving years after rivals but is betting that its hardware, software and ecosystem can make foldable phones more appealing to mainstream consumers.
A phone that opens like a small tablet
The Duo is designed to combine the portability of a smartphone with the larger working area of a tablet.
When folded, the device has a 5.4-inch outer display and is roughly the size of a passport. When opened, it expands into a 7.6-inch inner display, giving users a larger screen for gaming, video, browsing and multitasking.
Apple has built the device with grade 5 titanium and a precision hinge, while the inner display uses a nano-texture finish designed to reduce glare and make the fold less noticeable.
The phone also carries an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.
Ternus said Apple wanted to avoid the compromises associated with earlier foldable designs and create a device that felt natural to use.
The company’s approach is to make the transition between the phone’s folded and unfolded states feel continuous, with iOS 27 adapting to the larger display.
Apple bets on productivity
The larger internal screen is not simply intended for watching videos.
Apple has introduced Split View, allowing users to run two apps side by side. Users can also open two windows of the same application and save combinations of apps for later use.
Apps including Netflix, Zoom and Slack have already been adapted to take advantage of the larger display.
The Duo will also support Apple Pencil with USB-C later this year, adding another tablet-like capability to the foldable phone.
Camera system gets a foldable twist
Apple has equipped the Duo with a 48MP Fusion Main camera and a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera, alongside a new under-display FaceTime camera.
The folding design also enables new photography and video features, including the ability to use the outer display as a preview when taking photographs with the rear cameras.
Apple says the device can record 4K video at 120 frames per second in Dolby Vision using its main camera.
Price puts Duo firmly in the premium market
The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 in the United States for the 256GB model, making it Apple’s most expensive iPhone at launch.
It is priced above Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8, which starts at $1,899.99 in the US.
Apple is also offering a leasing option called Apple Upgrade in the United States through Klarna, with 12- and 24-month terms for eligible customers.
The Duo will be offered in two colours: star white and night sky.
Pre-orders begin on October 16, with availability starting October 23 in more than 70 countries and regions. A further 28 countries and regions will receive the device from October 30.
Can Apple reshape the foldable market?
Foldable phones remain a relatively small part of the global smartphone business, but Apple’s arrival could significantly change the competitive landscape.
IDC forecasts that foldable smartphone shipments will grow 12.6% in 2026 to about 22.9 million units, with the category expected to accelerate further in 2027.
The research firm expects Apple to ship more than 17 million foldable iPhones by 2027 and capture roughly 40% of global foldable shipments that year.
Also Read: Apple declares iPhone X, 2018 MacBook Pro obsolete as repair support ends
That would give Apple a major position in a market still led by established Android manufacturers such as Samsung and Huawei.
Reuters reported that analysts see Apple’s entry as potentially reshaping competition in both China and global markets, particularly in the premium segment.
For Apple, the strategy is familiar: enter an established product category later, then attempt to redefine the experience around its own hardware, software and ecosystem.
The iPhone Duo is therefore more than another addition to Apple’s smartphone lineup.
It is Apple’s first major attempt to turn foldable phones from a niche premium category into a mainstream part of the iPhone ecosystem.
