Apple unveils iPhone Duo, its first foldable phone

Apple has introduced the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone, expanding its flagship smartphone line into a category so far led by rivals.

The handset uses a book-style folding design with a 7.6-inch inner display and a 5.4-inch outer screen. The two displays share the same aspect ratio so content scales consistently when the device is opened or closed.

When unfolded, the iPhone Duo is Apple's thinnest iPhone to date. The inner display has a nano-texture finish intended to reduce glare and make the crease less visible, while a hidden FaceTime camera sits beneath the larger screen.

The launch marks a notable shift for Apple, which has stayed out of the foldable phone market while competitors released several generations of devices. By entering now, the company is pairing the new form factor with changes to iOS, multitasking features and camera functions designed specifically for a dual-display device.

"iPhone Duo is the most transformational change to iPhone since the original. With an entirely new design and intuitive experiences, it shows what's possible when hardware and software are engineered together and redefines what it means to use a foldable phone," said John Ternus, Chief Executive Officer, Apple. "With the largest display ever on iPhone that still fits easily in your pocket, combined with the power of A20 Pro, iPhone Duo helps you stay more immersed and productive wherever you go, whether you're enjoying content, multitasking across apps, or gaming."

Hardware design

The phone uses grade 5 titanium and a hinge made from more than 100 components. The enclosure has a mirror-polished finish, while the hinge cover is 3D-printed and uses recycled titanium.

The handset is rated IP68 for splash, water and dust resistance. It also uses Ceramic Shield on the exterior and a custom polymer layer over the folding display, supported by high-strength glass and adhesives designed to reduce stress as the screen bends.

Touch ID is built into the side button, allowing users to unlock the device when folded or unfolded. It can also be unlocked with an Apple Watch.

Software changes

Apple has adapted iOS 27 for the device's shape and orientation. Controls on the lock screen, home screen dock and in-app navigation have been moved to the side of the display to preserve more vertical space.

When the phone is open, the home screen can show two pages at once, with widgets in a scrolling Today View on the left. The status bar and Dynamic Island have also been redesigned to sit vertically at the edge of the displays.

The larger screen brings split-screen multitasking to the iPhone for the first time. Users can open two apps side by side, use two windows of the same app and save app pairings for later.

According to Apple, developers including Netflix, Zoom and Slack have already adapted their apps for the device.

Camera features

The camera system includes a 48-megapixel main camera, a 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a front-facing Centre Stage camera. Apple said the foldable design enables new camera uses, including rear-camera selfies with a preview on the outer display and a feature that shows subjects a live preview as a photo is framed.

Other additions include Smart Take, which uses on-device AI models to analyse a scene and automatically capture photos when subjects are posing, and Kid Cue, which plays Peanuts animations on the outer screen to attract children's attention during photos.

Users can also prop the handset open on a surface for hands-free FaceTime calls or long-duration video recording without a tripod.

AI and performance

The iPhone Duo runs on Apple's A20 Pro chip, the same processor used in the iPhone 18 Pro line. It also includes a custom vapour chamber and dual-battery design to manage heat and maintain performance.

Apple says the device delivers up to 35 per cent better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro. It can also provide up to 24 hours of use per charge when both displays are used equally, with longer playback times when only one screen is active.

The phone will also support Apple Intelligence and the new Siri AI features introduced with iOS 27. Those tools can use personal context, screen awareness and conversation history, while relying on on-device processing and Apple's Private Cloud Compute system for some tasks.

Pricing

The iPhone Duo will be sold in star white and night sky. Storage options range from 256GB to 2TB.

Alongside the handset, Apple is releasing a folio with an integrated kickstand and a two-part case. Both accessories support MagSafe and Qi2 charging.

The iPhone Duo also moves Apple to an eSIM-only design worldwide for this model. The company says the approach frees internal space for battery capacity and is supported by more than 500 carriers globally.

Apple says the handset contains 35 per cent recycled content overall, including 100 per cent recycled cobalt in the battery and 100 per cent recycled titanium in the hinge cover.