Apple unveils iPhone Duo, its first foldable, starting at $1,999
Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first foldable phone, at a Sept. 9 event. The 7.6-inch device starts at $1,999, with preorders on Oct. 16 and launch on Oct. 23, as smartphone prices rise across the industry.
The Duo is about the size of a passport when closed and opens to the largest iPhone display ever, Apple said. It has a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR inner display and a 5.4-inch outer display. The inner screen uses a nano-texture matte finish that reduces glare and makes the crease hard to see at most angles, according to a 9to5Mac hands-on. Apple used a titanium frame and a hinge with a custom torque profile; TechCrunch AI reported that the hinge was designed and built with AI and 3D printing. Johny Srouji, Apple's chief hardware officer, said during the event that Apple uses AI algorithms to match each hinge with its best-fit housing and a confocal laser to scan each unit before 3D printing up to 25 micro layers of a custom photopolymer to eliminate residual waviness.
Display details vary by source. TechRadar reported Apple says both screens share a 1:1.4 aspect ratio for visual continuity, while 爱范儿 reported the inner screen is 2670 by 1878, roughly 430 ppi and about 1:1.42, and the outer D-shaped screen is 1398 by 2034, roughly 460 ppi. 爱范儿 also reported 1-120Hz ProMotion, always-on display and 3000 nits peak brightness, plus an under-display inner camera with an f/1.8 aperture that records up to 1080p at 60 frames per second. The outer screen uses second-generation Ceramic Shield, and the back uses first-generation Ceramic Shield, according to 爱范儿.
The iPhone Duo brings Apple Pencil support to the iPhone for the first time, working on either screen, though the stylus is not bundled and there is no storage slot, according to TechRadar and 爱范儿. 爱范儿 reported it will be supported later this year with a USB-C Apple Pencil.
Apple has adapted iOS 27 for the foldable. TechRadar reported that when the phone is closed, key navigation buttons shift to the right side for thumb access. 爱范儿 reported that when unfolded, the left half becomes a Today View of widgets while home icons, status bar and dock remain on the right, and that third-party apps using iOS 27's variable toolbar can move controls to the right. The Duo can run two apps side by side plus picture-in-picture, according to 爱范儿, which described the multitasking approach as more conservative than some Android foldables. 爱范儿 also noted a gradual blur transition when opening or closing the phone and a Standby mode activated by tenting the device.
Inside, the Duo uses Apple's A20 Pro chip with a 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU and two 16-core Neural Engines, according to TechRadar. 爱范儿 reported the Duo gets the full 6+7-core version and uses a package-level connection between the system-on-chip and vapor chamber. Its rear cameras are a 48MP main camera at 26mm and f/1.6 with 2x lossless and up to 10x maximum zoom, plus a 48MP ultrawide at 13mm and f/2.2, with no telephoto lens, according to 爱范儿. Battery life is rated at up to 31 hours of inner-screen video playback and 44 hours with the outer screen, with 20 minutes of charging reaching 50%, 爱范儿 reported. The Duo has an IP68 rating, eSIM-only connectivity in markets including China, and comes in star white and night sky.
Pricing extends beyond the U.S. TechRadar reported the Duo starts at $1,999, £1,999 or AU$3,499 with 256GB. 爱范儿 reported China pricing starts at 15,999 yuan for 12GB+256GB and reaches 26,499 yuan for 12GB+2TB, and said supply may be constrained enough that buyers could wait months. The Verge reported the launch came amid broad smartphone price increases: the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max start at $1,199 and $1,299, $100 more than their predecessors, and Apple also raised older iPhone prices by $100. Google's Pixel 11 starts at $899, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra at $2,099, and Sony and Motorola also raised prices, The Verge reported, citing component shortages driven by AI data center construction and higher RAM and chip costs.
Competitors are already being compared. Android Authority reported the Duo's IP68 rating outclasses Samsung's IP48 rating, leaving Samsung behind on dust and water protection. Ars Technica reported the Duo's wider, shorter chassis resembles the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and that Apple criticized foldables that open into a square aspect ratio; Ars said the $1,999 starting price is in the same range as foldables from Google and Samsung, and not as high as some expected. Apple's event also introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, two new smartwatches and AirPods 5 with active noise cancellation, according to TechRadar.
Editor's Summary Apple's first foldable, the iPhone Duo, arrives with a 7.6-inch inner display, a $1,999 starting price, Oct. 16 preorders and an Oct. 23 launch. Its launch highlights Apple's late entry into foldables and comes as smartphone prices rise across the industry. The Duo also introduces Apple Pencil support to the iPhone and an AI-assisted hinge design.