Apple Unveils iPhone Duo, Its First Foldable Smartphone, at $1,999 With October Release Date
Apple officially unveiled the iPhone Duo on September 9, 2026, at its "Surprise and Shine" event. The book-style foldable features a 7.6-inch inner display and a 5.4-inch outer display, runs on the A20 Pro chip, and starts at $1,999 for the 256GB model. Pre-orders open October 16 and general availability begins October 23.
Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo on September 9, 2026, entering the foldable smartphone market with a device priced at $1,999 for the 256GB model.
The announcement came at Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event. The iPhone Duo uses a book-style folding design built from Grade 5 titanium. It has a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR OLED inner display and a 5.4-inch outer display. Apple added a custom nano-texture finish to reduce glare and a micro-lens texture to minimize the visibility of the fold crease. The hinge uses more than 100 precision components.
The device runs on the A20 Pro chip, built on a 2-nanometer manufacturing process with vapor-chamber cooling. It uses Touch ID integrated into the side button rather than Face ID. Connectivity includes Apple's new C2 cellular modem with 5G mmWave support in the US. The phone is eSIM-only worldwide.
Battery life is rated at 31 hours of video playback on the inner display and 44 hours on the outer display. The device supports 25W wireless charging via MagSafe and Qi2.
The camera system includes two 48MP cameras: a Fusion Main and a Fusion Ultra Wide. There is no dedicated telephoto lens. New software features include Duo Preview, which lets subjects see themselves on the outer screen during photos, Smart Take, and Kid Cue for group photography. The inner FaceTime camera sits beneath the display.
The iPhone Duo runs a version of iOS 27 adapted for folding hardware, with split-screen multitasking, vertically oriented dock layouts, and the ability to pin apps. Apple Pencil support will be added later in 2026.
Pre-orders open October 16. General availability begins October 23. The launch is a major test for new CEO John Ternus, who replaced Tim Cook on September 1, 2026.
