Apple Unveils the iPhone Duo, Its First Foldable iPhone

Apple ended its latest hardware event with a classic “one more thing” announcement: the iPhone Duo, the company’s first foldable smartphone. After years of speculation, Apple has entered a market that Samsung, Google, and other smartphone makers have helped establish over the past decade.

The iPhone Duo is positioned as Apple’s most powerful iPhone yet—and its most expensive. Prices start at $1,999, putting it in the same general range as competing foldable phones from Samsung and Google.

An iPad-Like Display in Your Pocket

Apple’s foldable iPhone uses a wide, passport-like design rather than the squarer shape found on some competing devices. Apple has criticized square foldables for making many apps appear awkwardly stretched and leaving large black bars around videos.

When opened, the iPhone Duo has an aspect ratio of approximately 1:1.4. Its 5.4-inch outer display features an unusual asymmetrical design, with sharper corners near the hinge and rounded corners on the opposite side. Apple says the design is intended to encourage users to open the phone.

Inside, the device features a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR foldable display. The screen is slightly wider than a traditional 4:3 monitor, giving users more room for multitasking, video, gaming, and other iPhone features.

Apple Focuses on Durability and a Reduced Crease

The iPhone Duo’s foldable display uses multiple layers of flexible glass and a titanium base. The construction is designed to address durability concerns that have affected earlier generations of foldable smartphones.

The top layer uses a custom polymer that Apple says is harder than competing materials. It also includes a nano-textured finish intended to improve readability in bright environments.

Apple claims the iPhone Duo’s display will offer improved visibility in bright light and an almost invisible center crease. Samsung and other manufacturers have reduced the appearance of display creases in recent foldable phones, but Apple says its multi-layer lamination process is designed to keep the screen looking smooth over time.

iPhone Duo Availability and Pricing

With a starting price of $1,999, the iPhone Duo enters the premium foldable smartphone market alongside flagship devices from Samsung and Google. Its combination of a large internal display, compact outer screen, and Apple’s hardware and software ecosystem could make it one of the most closely watched foldable phones to date.

Apple’s first foldable iPhone marks a major change for the iPhone lineup and gives consumers a new way to carry an iPad-like display in a pocket-sized device.

Read more about the iPhone Duo in Apple’s official announcement.