Apple unveils foldable iPhone Duo at annual launch event

On Wednesday, September 9, 2026, Apple showed off its first folding smartphone. It is called the iPhone Duo. The launch happened at the “Surprise and Shine” event in Cupertino, California.   

This is Apple’s first folding phone after six years of waiting. It is also the first big product launch for John Ternus. He became the new CEO on September 1 after Tim Cook stepped down.   

Ternus called the iPhone Duo the biggest change since the very first iPhone. It brings together the small size of a phone and the big screen of an iPad.   

The iPhone Duo puts Apple in direct competition with brands like Samsung, Google, and Huawei. Apple also updated its other products. They announced the new iPhone 18 Pro series, the Apple Watch Series 12, the Apple Watch Ultra 4, and the basic AirPods 5.   

Design and Displays

The iPhone Duo is shaped like a passport. It is shorter and wider than other folding phones.   

The outside has a 5.4-inch screen. This gives you 90 percent of the screen space found on the standard iPhone 18 Pro.   

When you open it, there is a 7.6-inch inner screen. Apple says this is 50 percent bigger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max screen. The inner screen has a special finish to stop glare and hide the folding crease.   

Both screens have the same shape. They support 120Hz smooth scrolling and are very bright outdoors at 3,000 nits.   

The Hinge and Build

Apple says this is its thinnest open iPhone ever. The body is made from very strong titanium with a shiny finish.   

The folding hinge has over 100 parts. It uses carbon fiber plates and a 3D-printed titanium cover. Using 3D printing helped engineers make it thin and tough.   

Special glue and a titanium plate let the strong glass layers slide smoothly. This stops the glass from breaking when you fold it.   

Power, Cooling, and Battery

The iPhone Duo uses the new A20 Pro chip. It also has a custom C2 modem. This makes it 35 percent faster than the older iPhone 17 Pro.   

To keep the phone cool, Apple built a special cooling chamber right on the chip. This helps run the two screens and smart AI features without getting too hot.   

The phone has two batteries, one in each half. You get up to 44 hours of video on the small outer screen. You get up to 31 hours of video on the big inner screen.   

The phone only uses an eSIM. There is no physical SIM card slot. This saves space for bigger batteries. It also has super-fast Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.   

Cameras and Security Changes

Because the phone is so thin, Apple had to change some things. Face ID is gone. The parts were too big to fit. Instead, Apple put Touch ID in the side power button.   

The cameras are also different from the “Pro” phones. The Duo has a 48-megapixel main camera and a 48-megapixel wide camera. But it does not have the special zoom lens or pro camera settings found on the iPhone 18 Pro.   

Smart Camera Features

To make up for this, Apple added special software for the folding screen:

• Hidden Camera: A video call camera is hidden under the big inner screen.   
• Duo Preview: People can see themselves on the outer screen while you take their picture with the main cameras.   
• Kid Cue: The outer screen plays cartoons to make kids look at the camera.   
• Smart Take: The phone uses AI to snap a photo perfectly when someone strikes a pose.   

New Software: iOS 27.1 and Siri

The iPhone Duo runs on iOS 27.1. This software is made just for folding screens. Essential buttons and the Dynamic Island are moved to the side to save space.   

The big inner screen works like an iPad. You can use two apps at the same time side by side.   

The fast A20 Pro chip powers new AI features. Siri is smarter and can see what is on your screen to help you better. It can even pop up useful info like reservation numbers during phone calls.   

Price and Release Date

The iPhone Duo costs $1,999 for the 256GB model. The 2TB model costs $3,199.   

You can order it on October 16. It will be in stores on October 23 in 70 countries. More countries will get it on October 30.   

Experts thought it would cost $2,500. Apple kept the price under $2,000 to get more people to buy it, even though memory chips are expensive right now. On the other hand, the standard iPhone 18 Pro models went up in price by $100.   

Wall Street had mixed feelings. Apple’s stock price dropped slightly by 0.3 percent. But some experts think Apple could control 40 percent of the folding phone market by 2027. Rivals like Samsung and Duolingo poked fun at Apple online, saying Apple copied them.   

Other Apple Updates

The regular iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max also got the A20 Pro chip. They have a better 48-megapixel camera system. They also have a new security feature to spot fake AI photos.   

The Apple Watch Series 12 has a new ceramic look and a health app that gives you a daily recovery score. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 got similar updates.   

The new AirPods 5 now have noise cancellation, which is usually only for expensive models. These other devices come out on September 18.   

People Also Ask

1. Does the iPhone Duo have Face ID?

No, the iPhone Duo does not have Face ID. Because the phone is so thin, the parts for Face ID could not fit. Instead, it uses Touch ID built into the side power button.   

2. What is the price of the iPhone Duo?

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for the 256GB model. The most expensive 2TB model costs $3,199. In Pakistan, the starting price is around Rs. 554,000.   

3. When does the iPhone Duo come out?

You can pre-order the iPhone Duo starting on October 16, 2026. It will arrive in stores on October 23, 2026, in 70 countries.   

4. Does the iPhone Duo support the Apple Pencil?

Yes, it will support the USB-C Apple Pencil. However, this feature will arrive later in the year as a separate update.   

5. Does the iPhone Duo have a telephoto zoom camera?

No, the iPhone Duo does not have a special telephoto zoom lens. It relies on a 48-megapixel main camera and a 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera.