Apple's new CEO, John Ternus, introduced the company's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, at an event held at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino. The Duo is priced at $1,999 for the 256GB storage model and will be available for pre-order on October 16, with general availability on October 23. This launch marks a significant move into the foldable market, previously dominated by rivals like Samsung and Xiaomi.
The iPhone Duo is designed to be passport-sized when closed, featuring a 5.4-inch display, and opens up to a 7.6-inch panel, making it the largest screen on any iPhone to date. Both screens support ProMotion, always-on displays, and up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness. Apple also announced that Apple Pencil support will be added later this year. The Duo will come in two colors, with the highest storage option reaching $3,200.
In addition to the foldable, Apple also unveiled new iPhone 18 Pro models, with the iPhone 18 Pro starting at $1,199 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max at $1,299. New AirPods, featuring noise cancellation for the budget line, will start at $129. The company also announced an updated Siri that will work with 300,000 apps at release. Analyst reactions are mixed, with some viewing the Duo as a "premium-priced ornament" that may not drive significant growth, similar to the Vision Pro headset, while others believe it could be a major hit for Apple, potentially capturing up to 25% of the foldable market share by year-end, despite foldables currently making up less than 2% of total smartphone shipments.
This launch comes as Ternus entered his second week as CEO, succeeding Tim Cook. Industry observers, like Ben Wood of FDM, suggest Ternus's promotion was timed to coincide with one of Apple's biggest iPhone launches in years. Dipanjan Chatterjee of Forrester noted that while the Duo might impart "badge value," it may not contribute "meaningful growth." Nonetheless, the iPhone remains Apple's top-selling product, accounting for over half of its annual sales.
