Apple introduced its first foldable iPhone on Wednesday, the iPhone Duo, starting at $2,000 for the 256GB model with top configurations approaching $3,000, at a keynote that also marked the debut of John Ternus as the company’s chief executive. The device opens to a display of roughly 7.8 inches from a 5.5-inch outer screen, using a short and wide form factor closer to a passport than to Samsung’s tall folding phones. Sales begin as early as October, in white and dark blue.
The memory-chip shortage that pushed Apple to raise prices across its Mac, iPad and home device lines in June is a factor in the pricing. Bloomberg reported that component costs blew through Apple’s internal targets for the foldable, and the company is absorbing part of the increase to keep the entry model near $2,000 while passing more of the cost to higher-capacity buyers. Storage tops out at 2TB.
What the Duo actually is
The Duo runs Apple’s A20 Pro chip and a new in-house C2 modem, supports the Apple Pencil, and handles side-by-side apps with what Apple describes as iPad-like multitasking. Both halves carry separate battery cells, with capacities reported near 1,921mAh and 2,962mAh for a combined total of roughly 4,883mAh. The rear camera system has Wide and Ultra Wide lenses but no dedicated telephoto, leaving optical zoom photography to the Pro models. Reports ahead of the event said Apple chose Touch ID over Face ID to accommodate the thin folding body.
The name is a callback rather than a new coinage. Apple previously used Duo for the PowerBook Duo laptops of the early 1990s and the MagSafe Duo charger. The magnetic hinge drew particular attention in pre-launch reporting, with Apple employees who tested the device praising its durability and the crease-free display.
iPhone 18 Pro gets a price bump
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max arrived alongside the foldable with starting prices $100 above their predecessors, at $1,199 and $1,299 in the US. The design stays close to last year’s models, with burgundy red replacing orange in the color lineup. Camera upgrades include new lenses and pro-level software, and at least the Pro Max is expected to carry a mechanical aperture for depth-of-field control. The Dynamic Island shrinks again and now shows up to three Live Activities at once, up from two.
Developer analysis of iOS 27 code points to charging rates up to 33% faster than the iPhone 17 Pro generation. Apple is allocating roughly 10% more iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max units for September through December than it did for the 17 Pro models in the same window last year, according to Counterpoint’s supply-chain tracking.
Notably absent was the standard iPhone 18. Apple has split its launch calendar, pushing the base model, the iPhone 18e and a second-generation iPhone Air to spring 2027. The iPhone 17 remains on sale in the meantime.
| Model | US starting price | On sale |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone Duo (256GB) | $2,000 | October |
| iPhone 18 Pro | $1,199 | September |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | $1,299 | September |
| iPhone 18 (base) | TBA | Spring 2027 |
Watches, AirPods and a new era
The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 debuted with a returning ceramic case option, new band colors, an in-house C2 modem and dual 48-megapixel rear cameras on the higher-end model. A new AI feature generates daily recaps of a user’s whereabouts and conversations using on-device sensors. AirPods 5 arrive in versions with and without a wireless charging case, with what Bloomberg calls dramatically improved noise cancellation. AirPods with built-in cameras were planned for this event but slipped to next year.
Ternus took over from Tim Cook on September 1, with Cook moving to executive chairman. Wednesday was his first keynote running the company, and the foldable is widely read as the test of whether Apple can still open product categories rather than follow them. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 set the wide-foldable benchmark earlier this year, and the Duo is Apple’s direct answer to it.
Siri AI, overhauled at WWDC in June and shipped inside iOS 27, runs across the new lineup. A smart home hub, Apple TV and HomePod mini refreshes, and an OLED MacBook Pro remain on the roadmap for later.
discussion