Apple Introduces the iPhone Duo
Apple’s iPhone hasn’t changed shape since 2007. On September 9, that ended. The company introduced the iPhone Duo, its first foldable phone, and it happened to be the first product launch under new CEO John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook earlier this month. The event, called “Surprise and Shine,” was held at Apple’s Cupertino headquarters.
The Screen
Unfolded, the Duo is a single 7.6-inch screen. Folded, it’s a 5.4-inch outer display that still covers about 90 percent of the screen area on an iPhone 18 Pro. Both screens use the same aspect ratio, so whatever you’re looking at doesn’t warp when you open or close it. Apple also put a nano-texture coating on the inner display to cut glare. Opened up, it’s apparently the thinnest iPhone the company has ever made.
The Details
A few things stand out beyond the fold itself. There’s a magnetic hinge that keeps the phone shut when you’re not using it. Touch ID is back, built into a button on the side of the phone. And the battery is really two batteries working together: Apple says you’ll get 31 hours of video on the inner screen, 44 hours on the outer one, or 24 hours if you’re splitting time between both.
Price and Release
None of that comes cheap. The Duo starts at $1,999 for 256GB and climbs to $3,199 for 2TB. Preorders open October 16, and it’s in stores October 23.
Why It Matters
Samsung’s had foldables on shelves for years. Apple waiting this long says less about the tech and more about the company deciding it was finally ready to bet its flagship line on it. Whether that bet pays off depends on something Apple can’t control: whether a bigger screen actually changes how people use their phone, or just gives them a bigger screen.
