Apple’s new chief executive, John Ternus, revealed the company’s first foldable iPhone, the Duo, at the annual product launch on Wednesday. The device, described as a book‑style phone, starts at $1,999 in the United States and rises to $3,200, making it the most expensive iPhone ever.
During the event, Ternus said the Duo was "inspired by the iPad" and that its folding mechanism is "fluid and completely intuitive." He added that Apple wanted to avoid the look of other foldables, which he said "feel like two phones stuck together... making a larger screen feel much smaller."
The Duo looks like a small iPad when unfolded and resembles a wider iPhone when folded. Ternus, who spent many years in Apple’s hardware division before becoming CEO, was directly involved in developing the foldable phone.
Analysts noted that Apple’s timing may be deliberate. Ben Wood of FDM CCS Insight said the promotion of Ternus coincided with one of the biggest iPhone launches in years, while Carolina Milanesi observed that the spotlight on Ternus made it feel as if he were a product himself.
Critics warn the foldable could become a premium ornament rather than a growth driver. Dipanjan Chatterjee of Forrester said the device might follow the Vision Pro headset, which failed to gain traction, or become a new Apple Watch‑style product. Milanesi added that software and learning curves could hinder widespread adoption.
Apple also announced the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, starting at $1,199 and $1,299 respectively, and revealed Siri AI, which will run on device and access personal data securely.
Apple’s iPhone remains the company’s top‑selling product, accounting for more than half of its annual sales. The company claims demand for the iPhone is higher than ever, with the latest launch being its most successful to date.
Apple will monitor market response to the Duo, which analysts predict could capture only about 4% of the foldable smartphone market over the next decade.
