Apple introduced the iPhone Duo, marking the company’s first foldable device. The announcement was made during an event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. According to Apple, pre-orders for the iPhone Duo are scheduled to begin on Friday, October 16, with store availability following on Friday, October 23.
Apple Unveils the iPhone Duo and Launch Schedule
Chief Executive Officer John Ternus described the new device during the presentation. iPhone Duo is the most transformational change to iPhone since the original,
Ternus said, as reported by Apple. With an entirely new design and intuitive experiences, it shows what’s possible when hardware and software are engineered together and redefines what it means to use a foldable phone.
Display Specifications and Hardware Design
When opened, the iPhone Duo functions as the thinnest iPhone ever created, featuring a 7.6-inch inner display equipped with a special nano-texture finish designed to minimize glare. When closed, it utilizes a 5.4-inch outer Super Retina XDR display that delivers 90 percent of the screen area of the iPhone 18 Pro in a compact, pocketable format. Both displays share the same aspect ratio for visual continuity and feature ProMotion, Always-On capabilities, and 3000 nits of peak outdoor brightness.
The device is powered by the A20 Pro chip and incorporates Apple Intelligence and Siri AI. Security features include Touch ID integrated into the side button, allowing for authentication whether the phone is open or closed, alongside the ability to unlock the device using an Apple Watch. Later in the year, the iPhone Duo will add support for Apple Pencil with USB-C.
Durability and Color Options
The hardware is built with a precision hinge engineered from more than 100 components to control opening and closing while supporting the center of the display. Internal support ribs and antenna splits with ceramic fiber inserts reinforce the structure. Protection is provided by Ceramic Shield on the back and Ceramic Shield 2 on the front, which offers three times better scratch resistance than previous generations. The device also holds an IP68 splash, water, and dust resistance rating.
The inner display utilizes a scratch-resistant coating and a nano-textured cover layer made from a custom polymer. Available color options at launch are star white and night sky.
Pre-Order and Release Timeline
Ahead of the official release, the timeline for the iPhone Duo launch includes:
- Pre-Orders Open: Friday, October 16, expected at 5 a.m. Pacific, 8 a.m. Eastern, and 1 p.m. BST.
- First Reviews: Anticipated on Tuesday, October 20, or Wednesday, October 21.
- On-Sale Date: Friday, October 23, with Yahoo opening at 8 a.m. local time.
The device is set to run on iOS 27.1, software that Apple has withheld from public beta testing prior to launch. Meanwhile, security researchers and reports have cautioned consumers to verify official dates and retailer legitimacy, noting that scammers have registered fraudulent shopping websites and phishing pages exploiting the gap between the announcement and the October release date.