Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) on Wednesday launched iPhone Duo, its first-ever foldable iPhone. At the time of writing, Apple shares were up 0.30%, according to Benzinga Pro.
Apple’s First Foldable iPhone Gets 7.6-Inch Screen
Apple unveiled its first foldable iPhone at the “Surprise and Shine” event, with John Ternus saying that Apple wanted to avoid foldables that feel like “two phones awkwardly stuck together.”
About the size of a passport, iPhone Duo features an internal and external display with matching aspect ratios. The company said its hinge keeps the inner screen flat when open and precisely controls the opening and closing motion. When unfolded, it is Apple’s thinnest iPhone yet.
The device features a precision-machined titanium frame with a polished finish, while essential controls have been moved to the side for easier thumb access.
Apple redesigned iOS around the foldable form factor. The Home Screen dock is now vertical, while the status bar uses a more compact layout. Apps and content automatically scale between the outer and inner displays, with iOS responding to the phone’s orientation, folding angle and position.
The inner display is a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR panel, offering 50% more screen area than the iPhone 18 Pro Max and 80% more than the iPhone 18 Pro. The 5.4-inch outer display provides about 90% of the iPhone 18 Pro’s screen area.
iPhone Duo Adds Apple Pencil, Touch ID and Ceramic Shield 2
Apple Pencil support is coming later this year for both displays. iPhone Duo also features Touch ID in the side button and can be unlocked with an Apple Watch.
The device comes in Star White and Night Sky and features reinforced structural ribs, ceramic inserts around antenna splits, Ceramic Shield 2 on the front, Ceramic Shield on the back and an IP68 rating.
iOS and Productivity
Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering Craig Federighi said iPhone Duo is “the most versatile iPhone ever.” The device can be partially folded, moving content away from the hinge area. It can also stand on its own for hands-free viewing.
A new StandBy mode turns the phone into a bedside display with widgets for music, calendar and weather. Apple also showed redesigned versions of apps including Zoom and Slack.
Display Technology
Apple developed a custom nano-texture finish to reduce glare and reflections, drawing on technology used with the iPad and Mac.
The folding panel uses a multi-layer lamination system with viscoelastic adhesives that allow the layers to move during folding, helping prevent distortion over time.
Carbon-fiber support plates provide a stiff, lightweight base, while a titanium plate adds durability. The hinge contains more than 100 precision components.
Performance and Battery
iPhone Duo delivers up to 35% higher sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro and includes Apple’s C2 cellular modem.
C2 is up to 50% faster than the C1X, adds 5G mmWave support in the U.S. and uses up to 15% less battery. Apple also uses AI algorithms to improve cellular reliability and reconnect faster in areas with weak coverage.
The phone is eSIM-only worldwide and uses separate batteries on each side that operate as one. Apple said that the Duo offers up to 31 hours of video playback when using the inner display and up to 44 hours of video playback when using the outer display. While using both displays equally, the device offers up to 24 hours of usage.
Fast charging takes the phone to 50% in about 20 minutes, while five minutes of charging can provide up to five hours of video playback on the outer display.
Cameras
iPhone Duo features a new Fusion main camera and a 48MP Fusion ultra-wide camera carried over from the iPhone 18 Pro. It also supports upgraded Photographic Styles and 4K Dolby Vision HDR time-lapse recording.
The outer display houses a 12MP Center Stage camera, while the inner display gets a new FaceTime camera that works when the phone is fully open or propped up.
Dual capture lets users record simultaneously from the front and rear cameras. Duo FaceTime also allows another person nearby to join a call using the outer display.
The outer screen doubles as a selfie preview, while on-screen animations can help get a child’s attention. A new Smart Take feature tracks the scene and automatically captures a photo when everyone is ready.
Accessories: Apple introduced a Duo Folio with an integrated kickstand. The standard iPhone Duo case uses two separate sections that wrap around each half of the device.
Price and Availability: iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 with 256GB of storage and is available with up to 2TB. Preorders begin Oct. 16, with the phone arriving in stores Oct. 23. Apple also said it will offer trade-in deals.
Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings place Apple in the 97th percentile for Quality, underscoring its strong performance across the short, medium and long term.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Apple
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