They're All Foldable Phones, So What Makes Apple's iPhone Duo Different

After years of watching Android rivals build out the foldable phone market, Apple held its fall event on September 9 Pacific time and unveiled the biggest overhaul to its product lineup in nearly two decades, its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo. Facing the obvious question of what actually sets Apple's version apart, new CEO John Ternus, who took over the role on September 1, wasted no time taking a jab at the competition, dismissing existing foldables as "two phones awkwardly stuck together."

According to Bloomberg's analysis, the iPhone Duo serves as Apple's opening test in this category, and the company is betting its edge comes down to build quality, how it handles screen size limits, software interaction, and how tightly the device ties into Apple's existing ecosystem.

Unlike rival foldables that tend to show a deep crease and carry noticeably bulkier bodies, Apple says the iPhone Duo feels sturdier in hand and has significantly softened the visible crease across its unfolded inner display, though how well that holds up will only become clear over time. Unfolded, the inner display reaches 7.6 inches, the largest screen Apple has ever put on an iPhone, while the outer display holds at 5.4 inches for one-handed use when the phone is folded.

Apple is also erasing a longstanding hardware boundary between the iPad and iPhone: the iPhone Duo will support the Apple Pencil later this year, a feature previously reserved for iPads, widening the productivity gap between it and phones that simply offer a bigger screen.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that beyond pairing the same new A20 chip found in Apple's higher-end models with a competitive camera system, the iPhone Duo's software has been specifically tuned so the transition between its outer and inner displays feels seamless when the phone is folded or unfolded, without any jarring jump between screens.

A Wall Street Journal reporter who tried the iPhone Duo at Apple Park after the keynote, and who currently uses a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, said that when the iPhone Duo is unfolded, "you can barely see the crease," adding that "most of the time, the screen looks as flat and smooth as an iPad." Watching Netflix on the device, the reviewer said two thoughts kept coming to mind: maybe an iPad Mini is no longer necessary, and is this really worth paying $1,999 for a phone.

The same reviewer noted the iPhone Duo, at 254 grams, is considerably heavier than the Galaxy Fold 8's 201 grams, and thicker when folded shut, 11.3 millimeters versus 9.7 millimeters, making one-handed use harder than expected while the phone is in its folded state. Because the Duo is also wider than a standard iPhone, typing becomes a real challenge, and with the Control Center relocated to the side of the screen, users will need to relearn some habits around how they hold and operate the device.

The iPhone Duo carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, but Apple's claimed 24-hour battery life and durability will still need to hold up under real-world use, the reviewer said, adding that the camera's 2x zoom fell short for anyone who regularly needs a longer zoom range. On the upside, the dual-display design unlocks a new photography trick: whoever is being photographed can see exactly how the shot looks in real time through the outer display, which should make posing for photos considerably smoother.

Beyond how finished the product feels, the iPhone Duo is also setting records on price. It starts at $1,999 in the United States for the 256GB model, while the top-end 2TB version reaches an industry-record $3,199. On Apple's official Taiwan storefront, the entry-level iPhone Duo is priced at NT$74,900.

The iPhone Duo opens for preorder on October 16 in more than 70 countries and regions worldwide, with sales beginning October 23. Given the steep price, which the market had already largely priced in, Wall Street's reaction was muted, with Apple shares trading almost flat and closing the day at $315.34.

The September 9 keynote marked Ternus's debut as CEO, with former CEO Tim Cook, now serving as executive chairman, watching from the audience. Addressing ongoing industry chatter about wearables and standalone AI devices, Ternus laid out Apple's product philosophy directly. "At the end of the day, we just want to build products that have a profound impact on people's lives. That's why we're here, and that's our mission," he said.

Ternus argued that because the iPhone combines top-tier displays, sensors and computing chips, it will remain the "intelligent personal hub" coordinating with Apple's other devices well into the AI era. Alongside the new phones, Apple also introduced a certification system that can indicate whether a photo has been altered using AI.

Also unveiled at the event, the flagship iPhone 18 Pro lineup is centered on what Apple calls a major leap in battery life and fast charging. The Pro Max can play video for up to 45 hours and the Pro model up to 36 hours, both offering a new fast-charging capability that delivers six hours of video playback from just five minutes of charging. The iPhone Duo's inner display, by comparison, is rated for 31 hours of battery life. Both Pro models saw a $100 price increase, starting at $1,199 and $1,299 respectively, with preorders opening September 12 and sales starting September 18. Gurman reported that the standard iPhone 18, the budget iPhone 18e, and the slimmer iPhone Air 2 have all been pushed back to next spring.

Apple's wearables lineup is also leaning further into always-on AI features. The new Apple Watch adds a "Live Rewind" feature that can replay the last 15 seconds of audio, along with "Siri Recaps," which automatically records and summarizes conversations throughout the day, a direct answer to similar always-listening wearable devices already on the market.

​​Original Article in Chinese​​

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