Apple Debuts the iPhone Duo, Its First Foldable Phone

It’s finally here: Apple on Wednesday unveiled its first foldable iPhone, called the iPhone Duo. It’ll start at $1,999 for 256GB in the US. Preorders for the iPhone Duo begin on Oct. 16, ahead of an Oct. 23 release. Apple debuted the new device during its fall event in Cupertino, California, along with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. iPhone Duo design and build Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET The iPhone Duo is compact, with a passport-size design and titanium frame. Apple says it’s the thinnest iPhone ever when open, measuring 5.2mm. It’s 11.3mm thick when closed. The Duo has a 7.6-inch display on the inside and a 5.4-inch outer display. It fits squarely in my palm, with dimensions similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, which has a 7.6-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch cover display. One of the key differences in feel between Apple’s and Samsung’s phones is that the iPhone Duo has a matte, nano-texture finish on the inner display, which reduces the phone’s crease while also curbing reflections. It has a satisfying feel and really makes the crease virtually disappear when the screen is on. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET The Duos’ cover is made with Apple’s Ceramic Shield 2, while Ceramic Shield protects the back. The iPhone Duo comes in two colors, dubbed star white and night sky, which is a navy hue. It’ll be compatible with the Apple Pencil. To unlock, it supports Touch ID, rather than Face ID. Apple says a titanium plate helps to improve the iPhone Duo’s durability. The phone is powered by the A20 Pro chip. iPhone Duo cameras Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET The iPhone Duo has a 48-megapixel main camera and a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera. Like the Z Fold 8, there’s no telephoto camera. Apple’s foldable supports 4K video at 120 frames per second, as well as 4K time-lapse video. Dual capture in FaceTime lets you record video using both the rear and inside cameras. You can also turn on photo previews on the cover screen when the phone is unfolded, so your subject can see how the shot will look as you snap with the rear cameras. iPhone Duo battery life Apple says the iPhone Duo will give you up to 31 hours of video playback on the inner display, and 44 hours when using the outer screen. When using both equally, the company says you’ll be able to go 24 hours before needing to charge. Considering how often I use both the cover and inside displays on the Galaxy Z Fold 8, I have a feeling my battery life would lean more toward that 24-hour mark. But we’ll have to see how the phone holds up in CNET’s battery tests. Apple/Screenshot by CNET A new foldable competitor With the iPhone Duo, Apple enters an increasingly competitive foldable phone market, with key players including Samsung, Google and Motorola, as well as Chinese brands like Honor, Oppo and Huawei. Now, it’s Apple’s turn to further shape the space – and likely nudge it forward. Analysts predict the iPhone Duo could give foldables, which remain a niche smartphone category, a significant boost. IDC forecasts that global foldable shipments will grow by more than 12% this year, with Apple’s entry driving much of that growth. The research firm also expects Apple to ship more than 17 million foldable iPhones by 2027, giving the company nearly 40% global market share by the end of next year. Abrar's interests include phones, streaming, autonomous vehicles, internet trends, entertainment, pop culture and digital accessibility. In addition to her current role, she's worked for CNET's video, culture and news teams. She graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Though Illinois is home, she now loves San Francisco -- steep inclines and all. See full bio The Latest from Abrar Apple Debuts the iPhone Duo, Its First Foldable Phone Apple Event 2026 Everything Announced: iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch 12 and More I Can’t Put the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Down. Can Apple’s Foldable Change That?