Apple has unveiled its first foldable iPhone, the Duo, in a major product launch that marks the first significant redesign of the iPhone in almost two decades.
The launch came barely two weeks after John Ternus assumed office as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer following the departure of Tim Cook.
Ternus took the stage at Apple’s annual product launch event on Wednesday, where the company unveiled the book-style foldable smartphone.
The iPhone Duo, which can open up to resemble a small tablet and fold into a wider smartphone, starts at $1,999 in the United States and rises to about $3,200 depending on the configuration.
In the United Kingdom, prices start at £1,999.
Ternus described the device as being “inspired by the iPad”, saying Apple had designed its folding mechanism to be “fluid and completely intuitive.”
The foldable iPhone has reportedly been in development at Apple for several years.
When fully opened, the Duo provides a larger display similar in appearance to a small iPad, while folding it gives the device a wider iPhone-like form.
According to Ternus, Apple deliberately designed the Duo to avoid the experience of some existing foldable smartphones, which he said could feel like “two phones stuck together”.
He described the new device as the product of several technological innovations that Apple believes will redefine the foldable smartphone experience.
Ternus was closely involved in the development of the device during his years as a senior executive in Apple’s hardware division before becoming CEO.
The unveiling is also seen as an important test for Ternus as he begins his tenure as Apple’s chief executive.
Ben Wood, chief analyst at technology research firm FDM, said Ternus’ promotion may have been deliberately timed to coincide with what could become one of Apple’s biggest iPhone launches in years.
“Nothing happens by accident at Apple,” Wood said.
Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Creative Strategies who attended the event, said the significant attention given to Ternus made it appear as though “he was a product himself.”
The redesign could help address criticism that Apple has struggled to deliver a major new product or breakthrough innovation since the original iPhone was introduced in 2007.
However, analysts warn that the high price of the foldable device could limit its appeal.
Dipanjan chatter, an analyst at Forrester, said the Duo could become a “premium-priced ornament” that gives users status without contributing significantly to Apple’s growth.
Before the launch, the highest starting price for a new iPhone was $900.
Apple also unveiled the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro, which start at $1,200 and $1,300 respectively.
chatter said the foldable device could suffer the same fate as Apple’s Vision Pro headset, which was launched at $3,699 but has struggled to attract large numbers of buyers.
Alternatively, he said, it could follow the path of the Apple Watch, which has become a successful product even though it does not match the iPhone’s popularity.
Foldable market remains small
Analysts also identified consumer familiarity as another potential challenge for Apple.
Milanesi said while many consumers were interested in foldable smartphones, moving from a conventional smartphone to a foldable device could require users to adjust to new software and ways of interacting with the phone.
Wood said foldable smartphones from manufacturers including Samsung and Huawei currently account for about two per cent of global smartphone sales.
Even with Apple entering the market, foldable phones are expected to account for only about four per cent of smartphone sales over the next decade, according to FDM.
The iPhone remains Apple’s biggest-selling product, accounting for more than half of the company’s annual sales.
Apple has also reported strong demand for recent iPhone models, with the latest version becoming its most successful product launch.
Apple also unveils Siri AI
Beyond the foldable iPhone, Apple used the event to provide more details about its revamped artificial intelligence-powered assistant, now called Siri AI.
Starting with the iPhone 18, Siri AI will be able to search information stored on a user’s device, including messages and emails, to answer questions and perform tasks on the user’s behalf.
Some of the new AI features will also be available on the Apple Watch.
The company said users would be able to enable the watch to take notes from conversations and transcribe them.
Ternus described the new AI capabilities as creating an “intelligent personal hub” on the iPhone.
However, he acknowledged that the technology would involve access to some of the most private information on users’ devices.
He assured users that their information would remain private, saying many AI functions would run directly on the device rather than through third-party companies.
Where cloud services are required, he said Apple would maintain privacy protections around the information.
“Others see that data as something to collect and store,” Ternus said. “Here, not even Apple can access what’s yours.”
The launch therefore represents a major test for Apple and its new chief executive, with the company betting that a dramatically redesigned iPhone can reignite excitement around its most important product while competing in an increasingly crowded foldable-phone market.
