Apple has entered the foldable smartphone market with the launch of the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone. The company unveiled the new handset on Wednesday at its fall event in Cupertino, California, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
The iPhone Duo features a compact, passport-sized design with a titanium build. Apple says it is the thinnest iPhone ever when unfolded, making the new form factor more compact while still offering a much larger screen when opened. The frame is made from Grade 5 titanium, while the hinge uses a combination of titanium and aluminum. The phone also has an IP68 rating for splash, water and dust resistance.
The phone has two Super Retina XDR displays. The 5.4-inch outer display can be used when the device is folded, while opening the phone reveals a 7.6-inch internal display. Apple says both displays have the same aspect ratio. The internal display also uses a nano-texture matte finish designed to reduce glare and reflections. The selfie camera is hidden under the internal display and becomes visible when needed.
The iPhone Duo also supports Apple Pencil, giving users another way to interact with the larger internal display. Apple has also added Ceramic Shield protection to the front and back of the device when it is closed.
The phone is powered by Apple’s new A20 Pro chipset, the same chip used in the iPhone 18 Pro models. It also features Apple’s C2 modem. Apple claims the C2 modem is 50% faster and 15% more efficient than the previous C1X modem.
For security, the iPhone Duo has Touch ID integrated into the side button. Apple also says users can unlock the phone using an Apple Watch. The phone includes a Camera Control button for quickly launching and controlling the camera.
With the iPhone Duo, Apple is entering an increasingly competitive foldable smartphone market. Samsung, Google and Motorola have already launched foldable phones, while Chinese brands including Honor, Oppo and Huawei are also competing in the category.
Foldable phones remain a niche part of the overall smartphone market, but Apple’s entry could help increase their adoption. IDC expects global foldable smartphone shipments to grow by more than 12% this year, with Apple’s entry expected to drive a significant part of that growth.
The research firm also expects Apple to ship more than 17 million foldable iPhones by 2027. This could give Apple nearly 40% of the global foldable smartphone market by the end of next year.
The iPhone Duo runs iOS 27, which has been customized for the foldable design. When the phone is opened, users can view two Home Screen pages, with Today View positioned on the left. Apple has also moved the Home Screen dock to the right side of the screen.
The software supports two apps side by side and can respond to how the phone is positioned or folded. Users can also keep the phone partially folded while using it. In supported apps such as Safari, users can open a second window next to the first. Videos can also be pinned to the top of the display while users continue using other apps.
The iPhone Duo also supports a customizable standby mode when the phone is placed down. Apple’s AI features and the new Siri are integrated into the iOS 27 experience on the device.
The iPhone Duo features a 48-megapixel Fusion Ultrawide camera and a 2x telephoto lens. The camera can record video at up to 4K resolution and 120fps. The cameras can be used in different orientations, while the foldable design also allows users to show both their face and the view from the outer camera during FaceTime calls.
The outer display can also be used as a preview when taking photos, allowing people being photographed to see the camera’s view when the phone is unfolded.
Apple claims the iPhone Duo can deliver up to 31 hours of battery life when using the internal display and up to 44 hours when using only the outer display. With a mix of both displays, Apple claims up to 24 hours of battery life. The company says the phone can reach 50% charge in 20 minutes.
The iPhone Duo is available in Starwhite and Night Sky colors. It starts at $1,999 for the 256GB storage variant, with storage options going up to 2TB. Pre-orders will begin on October 16, and the phone will be available from October 23.
