Apple has officially joined the foldable smartphone market with the launch of its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo.
The device was unveiled at Apple’s launch event on Wednesday and features a book-style design that opens horizontally to reveal a 7.6-inch internal display. It also has an external screen that allows users to perform basic tasks without unfolding the phone.
Apple described the iPhone Duo as its thinnest iPhone when fully opened. For the first time on an iPhone, the company has added Apple Pencil support, allowing users to write, draw and carry out other productivity tasks on the larger screen.
The 7.6-inch internal display is the largest ever fitted to an iPhone and provides about 80 per cent more screen space than the iPhone 18 Pro. The outer display is about 90 per cent the size of the iPhone 18 Pro’s screen.
Apple said the phone’s specially designed hinge helps keep the internal display flat when opened while providing controlled movement when folding and unfolding.
The iPhone Duo is powered by the A20 Pro chip, also used in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. It comes with a 48-megapixel camera and is available in Star White and Night Sky.
The phone has a titanium body and uses separate battery units placed on both sides of the folding mechanism. Apple said it can deliver up to 24 hours of battery life when both displays are used equally.
Its fast-charging system can charge the battery to 50 per cent in about 20 minutes, while a five-minute charge can provide up to five hours of video playback when using the outer display.
Unlike recent iPhone models that use Face ID, the iPhone Duo has a fingerprint sensor built into the side button. The device is also eSIM-only worldwide.
Apple has equipped the phone with its new C2 modem, which the company says is up to 50 per cent faster than the previous generation while using 15 per cent less energy. The modem also supports 5G mmWave connectivity in the United States.
Price and Availability
The iPhone Duo will start at $1,999 in the United States. Apple has not announced an official price for the Nigerian market, although the device is expected to cost more than ₦2 million in Nigeria after considering exchange rates, taxes, import costs and retailer charges.
Pre-orders will begin on October 16, with sales starting on October 23 across more than 70 countries and regions.
The first markets include the United States, United Kingdom, China, Japan, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Another 28 countries and regions are expected to receive the device from October 30.
Apple’s entry into the foldable smartphone market comes years after companies such as Samsung and Huawei established themselves in the category.
The company’s move could further boost the relatively small global foldable smartphone market, with the report citing an International Data Corporation projection that Apple could capture about 40 per cent of the global foldable market by the end of next year.
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