Apple launches the first folding iPhone Duo – price from 2,299 euros

Almost 20 years ago, Apple laid the foundation for the device class of modern smartphones with the iPhone, and now the company is giving its most important product the first radical change. Seven years after pioneers like Samsung, Apple is entering the foldable phone business. One promise of the new model called the iPhone Duo is to do it better than the competition.

Apple hasn't missed out on much economically due to its abstinence from folding in recent years. According to calculations by the market research company IDC, just 2.2 percent of smartphones sold are folding models in various formats - although Samsung and Chinese rivals such as Huawei have been trying to establish the category in the market for years.

Apple now assures that it has found the right formula: a wider format than many competing devices, no annoying crease in the middle of the opened inner display and a software look that is tailored to the seamless change between the two screens.

Expensive device class

But all of this has its price - also because the costs of memory chips are skyrocketing due to the expansion of data centers in the AI boom. With a price starting at 2,299 euros, the duo will be the most expensive iPhone model to date when it launches in October. And the top version with two terabytes of memory costs 3,799 euros.

Who is such a device for? “First of all, for everyone who has the money for it,” says IDC industry analyst Francisco Jeronimo. But there are Apple fans who are willing to pay any price for something that stands out. The iPhone Duo will definitely serve as a status symbol. But then there are also people who use an iPhone and an iPad tablet – “and now have the chance to get both in one device”.

Discounts on the camera

At the same time, the shape of the device brings with it discounts. When unfolded, the Duo is the thinnest iPhone yet. This means less space for technology than, for example, an iPhone Pro, which has an upgraded camera. On the Duo, the zoom is limited to 2x, while the camera on the new iPhone 18 Pro even has a changeable physical aperture.

However, industry analyst Bob O'Donnell of Technalysis Research doesn't think that will deter many interested parties. For some iPhone users the camera is more important, for others the display size - and this is where the dividing line will lie between Pro and Duo buyers, he argues. O'Donnell also sees the price as a slowing factor: "It's a lot of money for a lot of louds."

Debut for newly crowned Apple boss

The new Apple boss John Ternus can start his term as an innovator. As the company's long-time head of equipment, he was probably in charge of the development of the Duo - and now the success or flop of the new device will also be associated with his name.

The folding iPhone has approximately the dimensions of a passport - each opened and folded with displays inside and outside. It deviates significantly from the first attempts by rivals, who initially relied primarily on a narrower and taller shape that can be opened up to form a square display.

Competitors had developed folding phones that felt like “two smartphones stuck together,” said Ternus, somewhat mockingly, explaining Apple’s decision to use the format. With the fitting dimensions, however, you can benefit better from the larger area of ​​the inner display with a diagonal of 7.6 inches. The outer screen has a diagonal of 5.4 inches and 90 percent of the area of ​​an iPhone 18 Pro.

“A drop in the ocean” – but a billion-dollar market

Can Apple now take folding smartphones out of their niche? In terms of unit numbers, the category will continue to be “a drop in the ocean” compared to the entire smartphone market, says Jeronimo. However, the more expensive devices could achieve a sales share of ten percent by 2030. This would make it a lucrative billion-dollar business. IDC assumes that despite the late entry, Apple will take the lead in the market segment within twelve months. Analyst O'Donnell also says that the iPhone Duo has "redefined" the device category with its interplay of technology and software.

Apple's vision for the AI ​​era

At the first innovation event under Ternus' direction, Apple's strategy for the era of artificial intelligence also became clearer. Apple wants to offer a personal center for AI with the iPhone and other connected devices. It is the answer to attempts by ChatGPT developer OpenAI to establish its own devices as a gateway to artificial intelligence. Apple emphasizes data protection and emphasizes the processing of information on the devices instead of in the cloud.

A first look at this in action are new functions for the fresh computer watches Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4. If you wish, you can summarize conversations throughout the day - and repeat what was said in the last 15 seconds as text. Apple assures that no records are made and that the company cannot access any information.

New iPhone Pro – but not a standard model

Together with the duo, Apple also introduced the next generation of the iPhone Pro. This time, however, there was no mention of the standard model, which has always been presented at the same time. According to information from the financial service Bloomberg, it will not follow until spring.

Among other things, the iPhone 18 Pro's camera is supposed to take better pictures in low light conditions. This should be ensured, among other things, by an adjustable aperture like on classic cameras.

In times of AI fakes, the Apple Reference Image function saves an unchanged original image from the image sensor that cannot be changed. This means that a reference image can always be checked without changes.

With a price starting at 1,449 euros, the iPhone 18 Pro is 150 euros more expensive than the previous model. Apple increased prices across the board in the summer, citing the explosive rise in storage costs in the AI ​​boom. At that time, iPhone prices remained unchanged.