Apple unveils iPhone Duo as its first foldable smartphone

Apple has officially entered the foldable smartphone market with the introduction of the iPhone Duo. Unveiled at the company's 'Surprise and Shine' event in Cupertino, the device features a 'passport-style' form factor that mirrors the design of the recently released Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. The iPhone Duo is constructed from Grade-5 titanium and utilizes a 3D-printed hinge cover, with the frame reinforced by antenna splits containing ceramic fiber inserts.

The device is equipped with two Super Retina XDR ProMotion displays: a 7.6-inch folding internal panel and a 5.4-inch external screen. Both displays are protected by Ceramic Shield 2 and feature a nano-texture finish designed to reduce reflections. Apple claims these screens offer 3,000 nits of peak outdoor brightness. A future software update will enable support for the updated USB-C Apple Pencil on both displays.

Under the hood, the iPhone Duo is powered by the A20 Pro system-on-a-chip, manufactured by TSMC on a 2nm process. Apple reports that this silicon includes a 6-core CPU and 7-core GPU, which are up to 20% and 40% faster than the A19 Pro, respectively. The chip also features a dual 16-core Neural Engine for on-device AI tasks and a custom vapor chamber for thermal management. The company claims this cooling solution allows for 35% better sustained performance compared to the iPhone 17 Pro.

The camera system consists of a 48MP Fusion main sensor and a 12MP 2x optical telephoto lens on the exterior. For video calls, the device includes a Center Stage front camera and an under-screen FaceTime camera on the interior. The main sensor supports 4K 120fps recording and 4K time-lapse in Dolby Vision HDR. Biometric security is handled by a fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button, alongside Face ID and Apple Watch unlocking capabilities.

The iPhone Duo runs iOS 27, which includes specific optimizations for the folding display, such as a redesigned Dynamic Island and a 'Today View' that allows for a vertically scrolling list of widgets. Connectivity is provided by an in-house N1 networking chip supporting Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread, while a C2 modem enables 5G mmWave support. The device is rated for IP68 water and dust resistance.

Pricing for the iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for the 256GB model, with pre-orders scheduled to begin on October 16 and general availability following on October 23. The phone will be available in Star White and Night Sky colorways.