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 phone has a 5.4-inch cover display that can be used when the device is folded. Opening the phone reveals a 7.6-inch internal display, giving users a larger screen for apps, content and other tasks. The iPhone Duo also supports Apple Pencil, adding another way to interact with its larger display.
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 marks a major change in Apple’s smartphone lineup. The company is now bringing its iPhone experience to a foldable design, combining a conventional cover display with a larger internal screen while keeping the device compact when folded.
Related Posts
