Apple has entered the foldable smartphone market with the introduction of the iPhone Duo, its first device with a flexible display. The new phone features a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR display when unfolded, offering 50% more screen area than the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Its outer display measures 5.4 inches and provides 90% of the screen area of the iPhone 18. The device is constructed with Grade 5 titanium and has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. Apple has also addressed the common issue of creases in foldable screens with a custom nano-texture finish designed to reduce glare and minimize crease visibility. Instead of Face ID, the iPhone Duo incorporates Touch ID integrated into the side button, allowing users to register multiple fingers for unlocking.
The iPhone Duo's software, iOS 27, is designed to adapt to the foldable form factor. Apps can expand to the larger internal display, and users can run two apps side-by-side. The system also adjusts content when the phone is folded or rotated. Developers will have access to tools to optimize their applications for the dual-screen design. Features like Dual Capture allow users to see front and rear camera feeds simultaneously during FaceTime calls, and Duo Preview enables the person being photographed to see a preview on the outer display before the shot is taken.
The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for the 256GB model, with configurations available up to 2TB. Preorders are set to begin on October 16, with availability starting October 23.
Other Apple Product Updates
Beyond the foldable iPhone, Apple announced several other updates. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max receive a significant camera upgrade with a 48MP Fusion Main camera featuring a variable aperture. A new feature called Apple Reference Image securely signs photo data at the pixel level to help verify the authenticity of images, a capability that could be important in an era of AI-generated content. The iPhone 18 Pro models start at $1,199, with preorders beginning September 12 and availability on September 18.
Battery life on the iPhone 18 Pro Max is cited to deliver up to 45 hours of video playback. The devices are powered by the A20 Pro chip, built with 2-nanometer technology and featuring 32 Neural Engine cores for enhanced on-device AI processing. Fast charging is also improved, with the iPhone 18 Pro capable of reaching a 50% charge in approximately 15 minutes with a compatible adapter.
Siri AI has been rebuilt to leverage personal context and interact across apps. A new Siri app will sync conversations privately via iCloud. The beta rollout for Siri AI in English begins September 14 with iOS 27, followed by other languages in October.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are gaining new health features, including more frequent heart rate and heart rate variability measurements. The Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399, and the Ultra 4 starts at $799, both available for preorder now.
A notable new feature is Siri Recap for Apple Watch, which uses ambient listening to create notes from conversations. Live Rewind can transcribe the previous 15 seconds of audio. Apple states that these features do not store audio recordings and remain private. However, these capabilities are expected to initiate discussions around privacy.
Finally, the AirPods 5 were introduced with Active Noise Cancellation at a starting price of $129. These new earbuds also support Live Translation and Siri AI, allowing for real-time language translation during conversations.