Apple has officially entered the foldable smartphone market, unveiling its first folding iPhone — called the iPhone Duo — at a landmark launch event on 9 September 2026, the first major product presentation led by new chief executive John Ternus. The device carries a starting price of $A3,499, marking Apple's most significant overhaul of its flagship iPhone line since the removal of the physical home button with the iPhone X back in 2017.
What is the iPhone Duo — and what makes it different?
The iPhone Duo is roughly the size and shape of a passport, featuring rounded edges and a compact folded profile with a single display on its exterior. When unfolded, it opens into a 19-centimetre horizontal screen that can also be used in a vertical orientation. Apple says that when open, the Duo is the thinnest iPhone the company has ever made.
Ternus was pointed in his criticism of rival foldable devices already on the market, describing existing products from competitors as awkward and poorly designed for everyday tasks like scrolling and watching video. He said the Duo was engineered from the ground up to deliver an iPad-style experience in a pocket-sized form factor, achieved through a custom hinge, dual displays with a consistent aspect ratio, and a new titanium body.
"It's entirely new and at the same time remarkably familiar. A similar size to your passport, it feels familiar to hold and comfortable to use with one hand," Ternus said at the event.
Apple is positioning the Duo squarely as a business productivity tool, demonstrating its ability to handle multi-participant Zoom calls, display a broader view of workplace messaging apps like Slack, and support multiple app windows simultaneously — a feature Apple has previously rolled out on select iPad models.
Under the hood, the Duo is powered by Apple's new A20 chip, alongside a custom-designed C2 modem chip — the latest step in Apple's ongoing move away from third-party modem supplier Qualcomm.
Market reaction and analyst views on Apple's foldable strategy
Despite the excitement surrounding the launch, Apple's US share price slipped 1.8 per cent by the time the presentation concluded.
Analysts noted that Apple is far from the first to bring a foldable device to market — Samsung, Motorola and Google have all released their own versions in recent years. However, industry observers say Apple's entry could still prove decisive.
One analyst described the launch as "straight out of Apple's playbook: wait for the product to work out its kinks and for the market to offer glimpses of viability, then enter and shape the category." The same analyst cautioned, however, that foldables currently represent a very small slice of overall smartphone sales, and that Apple's real challenge will be whether it can grow that niche into a genuine mass-market segment.
A separate analyst said Apple had "created a new premium growth opportunity, opened up another revenue stream and injected fresh momentum into the iPhone business."
iPhone 18 Pro, AI authenticity tools and new AirPods also announced
The Duo was not the only headline product at the event. Apple also unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro, which features a more advanced A20 Pro chip designed to run sophisticated AI models directly on the device.
Addressing growing concerns about AI-generated imagery, Apple introduced a new standard called Apple Reference Image, intended to verify the authenticity of photos taken with iPhone 18 Pro cameras. The company said it would also support the emerging SynthID standard for flagging AI-created or AI-edited images. Notably, the Apple Reference Image feature will not be available in European Union countries or China.
On the accessories front, Apple revealed a new entry-level AirPods model that will include noise cancellation for the first time in its budget range, as well as a premium version offering wireless charging and on-stem volume control — allowing users to adjust volume by swiping up or down along the stem.
Apple also introduced the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 at the event, though further details on those products were limited at time of announcement.
What the Duo launch means for Apple's next chapter
The iPhone Duo launch represents a defining moment for Ternus, who takes the reins of one of the world's most scrutinised technology companies. Whether Apple's late-but-deliberate entry into the foldable category can replicate its past success in reshaping product segments — as it did with tablets, smartwatches and wireless earbuds — remains the central question analysts and consumers alike will be watching closely in the months ahead.
