Apple unveils iPhone Duo, its first foldable, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro

Apple unveils iPhone Duo, its first foldable, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro

Apple has officially introduced the iPhone Duo, its first foldable smartphone, alongside the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Inspired by the versatility of the iPad, the Duo offers the largest display ever fitted to an iPhone and, according to Apple, is also the thinnest iPhone ever made when unfolded. The format follows the one already unveiled by Samsung (here to know more) lets users run two apps side by side, watch content on a larger screen, then fold the device back down to pocket size.

Two screens, one consistent aspect ratio

The inner display is a 7.6 inch Super Retina XDR panel offering 50 percent more surface area than the iPhone 18 Pro Max. The outer screen measures 5.4 inches, giving 90 percent of the surface area of the standard iPhone 18 Pro’s display. Both feature ProMotion, Always-On functionality and peak outdoor brightness of 3,000 nits. The two screens share the same aspect ratio, so content keeps its proportions when moving between them. Apple Pencil support over USB-C is expected by the end of the year, allowing writing, drawing and annotating documents on either screen.

The inner panel uses a nano texture finish to reduce glare and minimise the visibility of the crease. A custom polymer protective layer offers up to 40 percent greater rigidity than materials used elsewhere in the industry, according to Apple. The multi layer construction includes high strength glass, adhesives that allow the layers to shift as the device folds, and a titanium base plate.

Titanium build, over 100 hinge components

The chassis is made from grade 5 titanium with a mirror finish. The hinge itself contains more than 100 components and supports the centre of the display to keep it flat when open, while a magnet system handles closing. The internal frame is reinforced with ribs and ceramic fibre inserts at antenna breaks. The back is protected by Ceramic Shield, while the outer display uses Ceramic Shield 2, offering triple the scratch resistance of the previous generation.

The device carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, and comes in Stellar White and Night Sky.

iOS reshaped around a folding screen

Apple has adapted iOS 27 specifically for the Duo’s format, moving the Dock, lock screen controls and app navigation controls to the side. The status bar sits in one corner, and the Dynamic Island takes on a vertical arrangement on both screens. When unfolded, the Duo shows two Home Screen pages, with widgets displayed on the left. Split View allows two apps to run side by side, two windows of the same app to open at once, and app pairs to be saved for quick recall later.

Apple’s own apps are optimised for the new format, and new APIs let third party developers adapt theirs. Examples shown included Netflix, Zoom, Slack and Detail. Netflix lets users scroll through clips on the outer screen, then open the phone to continue watching on the larger inner display, with the interface adjusting to the phone’s orientation and position even when only partially unfolded. StandBy works across both screens and activates even without the device being connected to power, turning it into a clock, a photo frame, or a widget display.

Touch ID is built into the side button, and the phone can also be unlocked using Apple Watch. Camera Control is included as well, giving access to Visual Intelligence for asking Siri questions about whatever the camera is pointed at.

A20 Pro chip, with a cooling system built specifically for Duo

The iPhone Duo uses the same A20 Pro chip found in the new Pro models, built on a 2 nanometre process. Its six core CPU is up to 20 percent faster than the A19 Pro, while the seven core GPU delivers up to 40 percent higher performance. Unified memory bandwidth increases by 50 percent, and two 16 core Neural Engines double on device AI processing capacity compared with the previous generation. A new display engine drives the inner and outer screens simultaneously.

Chip packaging borrows from Apple’s M series processors, connecting the A20 Pro directly to a vapour chamber designed specifically for the Duo. Apple states the system delivers sustained performance up to 35 percent higher than the iPhone 17 Pro.

Siri AI arrives in beta, but not in the EU at launch

On the software side, Siri AI launches in beta with iOS 27, using personal context and on screen content to answer questions and carry out actions. The Siri app retains conversations, synced through iCloud. Apple Intelligence also adds new image editing tools and Notify me in Safari, for tracking changes on web pages such as price drops or restocked products. Siri AI will not initially be available in the European Union on iOS.

Cameras built around the folding format

The rear camera system pairs a 48 megapixel Fusion main sensor with optical stabilisation built into the sensor itself, and a 48 megapixel Fusion ultra wide camera, shared with the iPhone 18 Pro models and also usable for macro photography. The main camera offers an optically derived 2x crop rather than a dedicated telephoto lens. A Center Stage camera sits on the outer display, while a FaceTime camera hides beneath the inner display when not in use.

The folding format allows selfies to be taken using the rear cameras, with the outer display acting as a preview. Duo Preview shows the framing to the person being photographed, while a kids animation mode plays Peanuts animations to hold children’s attention. Smart Capture uses on device AI models to automatically take the shot when subjects are posed. In FaceTime, Dual Capture shares front and rear camera footage simultaneously, while Duo FaceTime lets someone standing next to the user join a call through the outer screen and camera.

The main camera records Dolby Vision 4K at up to 120 fps, with Cinematic effects applicable after filming at up to 60 fps. Audio Mix improves voice handling and adds music isolation, and time lapse footage also supports 4K Dolby Vision HDR.

A battery in each half, coordinated by software

The iPhone Duo houses a separate battery in each half, with algorithms coordinating how they work together. Apple states up to 31 hours of video playback on the inner display and up to 44 hours on the outer display, with battery life reaching 24 hours per charge in scenarios using both screens equally. Charging reaches 50 percent in around 20 minutes over a cable, or roughly 30 minutes using a MagSafe or Qi2 charger. The Apple C2 cellular modem supports 5G mmWave in the United States, while the N1 chip manages Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread. iPhone Duo uses eSIM exclusively in every market.

iPhone Duo specifications

Prices in Scandinavia

In Denmark, the iPhone Duo starts at 17,999 kroner for the 256GB model, rising to 29,999 kroner for the top 2TB configuration, with 512GB and 1TB options in between. Official Swedish and Norwegian pricing has not been published at the time of writing, but based on current exchange rates, the Danish pricing converts to roughly 26,600 to 44,400 kronor in Sweden and a similar 26,600 to 44,400 kroner in Norway, though Apple typically sets its own local pricing rather than applying a straight currency conversion, so official figures may differ once announced.

Customers in more than 70 countries and territories, including Germany, France, the UK, the US, Japan and Canada among others, can pre-order the iPhone Duo from 14:00 on Friday 16 October, with availability from Friday 23 October. The device reaches a further 28 countries and territories from Friday 30 October. A matching iPhone Duo case will be available for 699 kroner in navy and sand, alongside an iPhone Duo Folio with a built in stand for 1,099 kroner in navy and mole grey, both orderable from 16 October.