- The iPhone Duo is Apple's first foldable phone, featuring a 7.6-inch internal display.
- The device uses the A20 Pro chip, with sustained performance up to 35% higher than the iPhone 17 Pro.
- The phone has a 48-megapixel camera and supports multiple innovative shooting features.
- Apple's entry into the foldable market marks a significant design shift for the iPhone.
Apple has entered the foldable smartphone market with the launch of the iPhone Duo, priced at US$1,999 (approximately HK$15,588). The device is portable when folded and features the company's largest screen when unfolded. The iPhone Duo has a 7.6-inch internal display when opened, and a 5.4-inch external display when closed. Apple claims the internal screen is 50% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, while the external display is 90% of the area of the iPhone 18 Pro.
The device is also Apple's thinnest iPhone ever, with an even slimmer profile when unfolded. Both displays have the same aspect ratio, allowing content to scale proportionally when switching between folded and unfolded states. Apple has designed the entire phone around a precision hinge composed of over 100 parts, and it uses grade 5 titanium, Ceramic Shield protective material, and IP68-rated water, splash, and dust resistance. Additionally, the internal display features an anti-reflective coating and a nano-texture surface to reduce glare and make the crease less noticeable.
A20 Pro Chip and Battery Life
With its larger screen and more robust structure, the iPhone Duo is powered by Apple's latest A20 Pro chip and uses a custom vapor chamber for thermal management. A dual-battery architecture equips each side with a high-energy battery, making the most of the internal space. Apple claims the A20 Pro offers up to 35% higher sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro. The chip includes a six-core CPU, a seven-core GPU, and a dual 16-core neural engine, and is manufactured using a 2-nanometer process.
In terms of battery life, the iPhone Duo offers up to 31 hours of video playback with the internal display and up to 44 hours with the external display. When using both displays equally, Apple says the device can achieve up to 24 hours of usage on a single charge. The camera system is also designed around the foldable form factor, with the phone featuring a 48-megapixel Fusion main camera with 2x optical-quality telephoto capability, and a 48-megapixel Fusion ultra-wide camera. The front-facing Center Stage camera can automatically adjust the framing of photos and videos.
The foldable design enables some camera functions that are not possible on other iPhones, allowing users to preview selfies using the rear camera on the external display, while the Duo Preview feature lets subjects see the live camera view and adjust their position.
Dual-Screen Features and iOS 27 Update
Apple has also redesigned the dual-screen format for iOS 27. When the device is unfolded, users can use split-screen views to run two apps side by side, switch between apps, and open two windows of the same app. The company is also bringing its latest computational capabilities to this device. Siri AI and Apple Intelligence can leverage personal context and on-screen information to perform tasks, while the new hardware is designed to handle more demanding on-device workloads. Apple CEO John Ternus stated, "This is the most transformative change since the original iPhone, showcasing the possibilities when hardware and software are designed together with a new design and intuitive user experience,"
redefining the meaning of foldable phone usage."
The iPhone Duo starts at US$1,999 (approximately HK$15,588) in the US, offering a 256GB storage option, with 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB versions also available. Color options include Star White and Night Sky. Pre-orders will begin on October 16, with the official launch in over 70 countries and regions on October 23.
The Significance of Apple's Entry into the Foldable Market
Apple's entry into the foldable market marks a significant shift for the iPhone, which has maintained its basic flat design since its launch in 2007. Samsung and other competitors entered the foldable phone market in the late 2010s, but Apple waited several years before joining the category. Reports indicate that Apple began testing prototypes of a foldable iPhone display as early as 2021, although there were no immediate plans to release the device at the time.
The iPhone Duo features a book-style foldable design, allowing its large internal display to unfold while retaining a smaller external display when closed. The launch also marks the first major iPhone event for John Ternus as Apple's CEO, succeeding Tim Cook on September 1.
Item Specifications Processor A20 Pro Internal Display 7.6 inches External Display 5.4 inches Camera 48-megapixel Fusion main camera Battery Life 31 hours (internal display), 44 hours (external display)
How the iPhone Duo is Changing the Competitive Landscape
The launch of the iPhone Duo is not only Apple's first foray into the foldable phone arena but also demonstrates its keen insight into market trends. As competitors like Samsung have already entered this market, Apple's move signifies a redefinition of how foldable phones are used. The design and features of this phone not only enhance the user experience but may also set the direction for future smartphone development, prompting other brands to accelerate innovation.