The launch represents Apple’s entry into a foldable smartphone market that has been dominated for years by Samsung and Chinese manufacturers including Huawei. Analysts believe Apple’s arrival could help move foldable devices beyond their current niche market.

The iPhone Duo is designed to resemble a passport when closed and opens horizontally to reveal a 7.6-inch display. It also features a smaller external screen for use while folded.

Apple said the Duo is its thinnest iPhone when fully opened, although it remains thicker than some foldable phones offered by Chinese competitors.

New Apple CEO John Ternus led the product launch, taking over the company’s flagship presentation from former chief executive Tim Cook.

Ternus criticised existing foldable phones as awkward for everyday activities such as scrolling and watching videos. He said the Duo was designed to provide an iPad-like experience in a pocket-sized device, using a custom hinge, two displays with a consistent aspect ratio and a titanium body.

“It’s entirely new and at the same time remarkably familiar,” Ternus said, describing the device as similar in size to a passport and comfortable to use with one hand.

Analysts expect strong demand

The biggest challenge for Ternus will be convincing consumers to spend nearly $2,000 on a foldable iPhone.

Analysts at International Data Corporation expect Apple to sell as many foldable iPhones as it can produce and potentially capture about 40% of the foldable smartphone market by the end of next year.

Apple is positioning the Duo as a productivity-focused device. During the launch, the company demonstrated its use for Zoom calls with multiple participants and showed Slack across its larger display.

The expanded screen will also allow users to run multiple applications simultaneously, similar to the multitasking experience available on some iPad models.

Apple said the iPhone Duo will go on sale on October 23 and will be powered by the A20 Pro chip. It will also feature Apple’s new C2 modem, advancing the company’s efforts to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm for wireless connectivity.

The company said the battery can provide up to 24 hours of mixed dual-screen use and can reach 50% charge in about 20 minutes.

Apple shares closed 0.3% lower at $315.34 following the presentation.

Privacy and AI take centre stage

Ternus also presented the iPhone as a personal artificial intelligence hub built around privacy.

He said Apple Intelligence was designed to process information on the device whenever possible, arguing that users should retain control over their personal data.

Apple executive Lilian Rincon, who oversees the company’s AI products, also demonstrated an updated version of Siri.

The company additionally unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The non-folding models start at $1,199 and $1,299 respectively, representing a $100 increase over the starting prices of their iPhone 17 Pro predecessors.

Apple expands product lineup

Apple also introduced a new image-authentication feature designed to address concerns surrounding AI-generated and manipulated images.

The company said its new Apple Reference Image standard will help verify the authenticity of photos taken with the iPhone 18 Pro cameras. Apple will also support the emerging SynthID standard for identifying images created or edited using AI.

The Apple Reference Image feature will not be available in the European Union or China.

The iPhone 18 Pro will also use the A20 Pro chip, which Apple said brings improvements for running advanced AI models directly on the device.

Apple also announced a new AirPods model starting at $129 with active noise cancellation, bringing the feature to its lower-priced earbuds for the first time.

The company unveiled the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, highlighting new health and fitness features, including recovery measurements and improved heart-rate tracking.

Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra also attended the launch, an unusual appearance for an Apple supplier. Growing demand for AI features across Apple’s products has increased the need for high-performance memory, giving suppliers such as Micron a more prominent role amid a global memory-chip shortage.