Apple has unveiled its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, seven years after Samsung pioneered the category, with the new device starting at $1,999.
The launch, held Wednesday at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, was the company’s first major product event since John Ternus became chief executive on September 1.
Ternus said Apple sought to create a foldable device that felt more natural and intuitive than existing models, comparing its large display experience to that of an iPad.
The iPhone Duo combines the portability of a smartphone with a tablet-sized display. Roughly the size of a passport when folded, it features a titanium body, a 7.6-inch internal display and a 5.4-inch external screen.
Apple will offer the device in two colours — “star white” and “night sky” — with sales beginning October 23 across 70 countries.
The phone has multiple cameras, including an external front-facing lens, two rear cameras and an internal camera. Apple said the lenses can be used simultaneously when the device is fully unfolded.
At $1,999, the Duo is priced slightly above Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8, which starts at about $1,899.
Apple also introduced a monthly leasing option, Apple Upgrade, allowing customers to pay for the device over one or two years.
Samsung launched the Galaxy Fold, the first mainstream foldable smartphone, in 2019. Foldables still account for less than 2 per cent of global smartphone shipments, according to research firm IDC.
However, Apple’s entry is expected to significantly reshape the market. IDC research associate Kiranjeet Kaur said the foldable iPhone was likely to alter competitive dynamics in both China and global markets.
