Abstract:
Apple finally officially entered the folding screen mobile phone market and launched the first foldable iPhone. The product name was determined to be iPhone Duo. This phone was unveiled after years of research and development. It adopts a short and wide body similar to a passport. When closed, it is an ordinary-sized smartphone. When unfolded, it can provide a user experience close to a tablet.
More configuration and design details of Apple’s first foldable screen phone iPhone Duo have been announced. As Apple's first product to enter the folding screen market, iPhone Duo adopts a horizontal book-style folding structure. When closed, the overall shape resembles a passport. When unfolded, it can provide a use space close to that of a tablet.
iPhone Duo is equipped with an outer screen of approximately 5.4 inches, which can be unfolded to use an internal flexible screen of approximately 7.6 inches. The inner screen area is much larger than that of the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and it is also the largest display Apple has used for an iPhone to date. Apple hopes that through this design, users can obtain a large-screen experience that is more suitable for multitasking, web browsing, video viewing, email processing, and video conferencing while maintaining the portability of the phone.
Compared with many early folding screen phones, the iPhone Duo's body design is shorter and wider. When the device is closed, it will not have the proportions of a traditional long-shaped mobile phone, but will form a wider shape; when unfolded, it will be close to a square large-screen layout. Apple has also optimized the system interface for the use of folding screens, supporting multiple applications running side by side on the screen, and providing a multi-tasking experience similar to the iPad.
The fuselage adopts a titanium alloy frame and is equipped with ceramic shield glass. It is IP68 dustproof and waterproof. Apple also designed a new hinge structure for this device, aiming to minimize screen creases and body thickness while ensuring durability after repeated folding. The thickness of iPhone Duo is said to be about 4.5 mm when unfolded and about 9 mm when closed, and the overall weight is expected to be between 229 and 240 grams.
In terms of hardware, iPhone Duo will be equipped with the A20 Pro chip and use Apple's self-developed C2 modem. The machine is equipped with 12GB of running memory and offers storage versions of 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and up to 2TB. Because the folding structure takes up more internal space, Apple needs to make a more complex balance between battery capacity, cooling system, hinge structure and motherboard layout.
In terms of imaging system, iPhone Duo uses a rear dual-camera design, with the main camera and ultra-wide-angle camera both having 48 million pixels. Compared with the iPhone 18 Pro series, the folding screen model is not equipped with an independent telephoto lens, so its long-distance shooting capabilities may be weakened. The front cameras are arranged near the outer screen and the inner screen respectively, making it convenient for users to take selfies, video calls and face framing in different states of use.
Apple will also support Apple Pencil on iPhone for the first time. After the user unfolds the device, he or she can write, draw, document annotate and perform precise operations on the 7.6-inch internal screen, making iPhone Duo not only a communication device, but also closer to a small productivity terminal that can be carried anywhere. The machine is also expected to re-use Touch ID and integrate fingerprint recognition into the power button on the side instead of continuing to use Face ID as the main biometric identification method.
In order to improve performance during long-term operation, iPhone Duo is said to use a vapor chamber cooling solution. Foldable screen phones can run more complex multi-tasking applications when unfolded, but their internal space is tighter than traditional candy bar phones. Therefore, the heat dissipation design will directly affect the sustained performance of games, video editing, and local artificial intelligence operations.
In terms of connectivity, iPhone Duo will support 5G networks and use Apple's C2 modem. As Apple is gradually expanding the application scope of its self-developed communication chips, this folding screen mobile phone is also regarded as an important product to test the maturity of Apple's self-developed modem.
In terms of color matching, iPhone Duo is expected to be available in star white and night sky colors. The overall design still continues the rounded rectangular language of the iPhone, but through the titanium alloy frame, hidden hinges and short-to-width ratio, it forms a significantly different appearance from the existing iPhone.
The price will be the most controversial part of the iPhone Duo. According to the information disclosed so far, the 256GB version is expected to start at US$2,000, and the 2TB version may be priced close to US$3,000. This price is not only significantly higher than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, but also higher than some competitors’ folding screen flagships. However, Apple may position it as a high-end device that covers both mobile phone and tablet usage scenarios to explain its high price.
iPhone Duo is not expected to be launched at the same time as the iPhone 18 Pro series. Instead, it will be released first and then sold later. It may be officially shipped as early as October. Due to the more complex assembly process of folding screen panels, hinges and the entire machine, the first batch of supply may be relatively limited, and some markets may have to wait longer to purchase this product.
The fuselage adopts a titanium alloy frame and is equipped with ceramic shield glass. The whole machine reaches IP68 dustproof and waterproof standards. Apple has emphasized the durability and overall texture of the folding structure this time, hoping to avoid the impression that early folding screen phones were easy to leave on people such as being heavy, fragile and spliced. iPhone Duo is available in star white and night sky colors. The overall design still continues the rounded rectangular style of the iPhone family, but uses a folding structure to achieve a larger usable screen.
In terms of hardware, iPhone Duo is equipped with the A20 Pro chip and Apple's self-developed C2 modem. The dual rear cameras are both 48 million pixels, responsible for the main camera and ultra-wide-angle shooting respectively. Compared with the iPhone 18 Pro series, this folding screen phone is not equipped with an independent telephoto lens, so some trade-offs may be required in terms of long-distance shooting capabilities. The front camera is 12 million pixels, and the device also uses a magnetic hinge system to support folding and unfolding of the body.
iPhone Duo is also the first iPhone to support Apple Pencil. Users can write, draw, annotate and perform more precise operations on the expanded large screen, making its positioning in productivity and creative scenarios more obvious. At the same time, Apple also re-enabled Touch ID and integrated fingerprint recognition into the power button instead of continuing to rely entirely on the facial recognition system.
The machine is expected to be launched in October 2026, with a starting price of about US$2,000 for the 256GB version, and the price of the high-storage capacity version may reach US$3,000.
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