Key Takeaways
- Apple has launched the Duo, a $1,999 foldable iPhone.
- The device features a passport-shaped design with a 7.6-inch diagonal screen.
- Apple aims to compete with Samsung and Chinese companies in the foldable phone market.
Apple has unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the Duo, a $1,999 foldable iPhone designed to challenge established players in the foldable phone market such as Samsung and Huawei.
The Duo is shaped like a passport, with rounded edges, and opens into a horizontal 7.6-inch diagonal screen that can also be viewed vertically. A smaller single screen is visible when the phone is folded.
New CEO John Ternus led the event, marking the most significant overhaul of Apple’s flagship product since the iPhone X in 2017.
Ternus criticized existing foldables as awkward and poorly suited for common tasks such as scrolling and video viewing, emphasizing the Duo’s design to deliver an iPad-like experience in a pocket-sized device.
The iPhone Duo is positioned as a business productivity device, showcasing its ability to manage Zoom calls with multiple participants and a broader view of the Slack messaging app.
Apple has equipped the Duo with the A20 Pro chip to drive its displays and a new C2 modem chip designed by the company, part of its move away from Qualcomm’s wireless data chips.
The device supports 24 hours of mixed dual-screen use and can charge to 50% in about 20 minutes.
Analysts predict that Apple will sell every foldable iPhone it can produce and secure a 40% share of the lucrative niche by the end of next year.
Apple emphasized privacy as a key feature of the Duo, with Ternus stating, '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.'
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.
John Ternus, New CEO of Apple
