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Apple unveils foldable iPhone Duo
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Apple unveiled the foldable iPhone Duo, starting at $1,999, available Oct. 23.
It is Apple's biggest iPhone redesign in 19 years and its first launch under.
Background
Apple announced the iPhone Duo at its annual September event, held at Apple Park in Cupertino. It is Apple's first foldable phone, arriving years after rivals like Samsung, Huawei, and Google brought foldables to market. The launch is also the first major product event under new CEO John Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook on Sept. 1, 2026. Apple is positioning the Duo and the iPhone 18 Pro as "intelligent personal hubs" for onboard AI, with an AI-enabled Siri in beta in October.
How it unfolded
- Sep 1, 2026John Ternus succeeds Tim Cook as Apple CEO.
- Sep 9, 2026At its "Surprise and Shine" event, Apple unveils the iPhone Duo, its first foldable phone, along with the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, new Apple Watches, upgraded AirPods, and expanded AI features for Siri.
- Oct 16, 2026Preorders for the iPhone Duo open.
- Oct 23, 2026The iPhone Duo becomes available to the public.
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- Counterpoint says foldables are under 2% of smartphone shipments but projects the Duo could reach up to 25% market share by the end of the year.
- Official
- Ternus said the Duo "will redefine the experience of using a foldable phone" and brings an entirely new design while preserving what users expect from iPhone.