Apple launches $1,999 foldable iPhone Duo to challenge Samsung and Huawei
Apple has unveiled the $1,999 iPhone Duo, marking its long-awaited entry into the foldable smartphone market.
The device puts Apple in direct competition with Samsung, Huawei and other manufacturers that have dominated the segment for years.
IDC expects Apple could capture about 40% of the foldable market by the end of next year, with China emerging as a crucial battleground.
The launch also introduces Apple’s A20 Pro chip, C2 modem and expanded AI features as the company places greater emphasis on on-device privacy.
Clarivox News - Apple has entered the foldable smartphone market with the launch of the $1,999 iPhone Duo, setting up a fresh contest with Samsung, Huawei and other manufacturers that have spent years developing the category.
Unveiled on Wednesday, September 9, the Duo represents one of the biggest changes to Apple's flagship smartphone since the iPhone X was introduced in 2017.
The device will become available on October 23 as the technology company bets that its brand, software ecosystem and emphasis on privacy can help broaden demand for foldable phones.
The launch comes despite Apple arriving relatively late to a market already populated by Samsung and several Chinese manufacturers.
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The Duo is roughly the size of a passport when folded and opens into a 7.6-inch display that can be used horizontally or vertically.
A smaller screen sits on the front for use while the device is closed. Apple said the Duo is its thinnest phone when unfolded, although it remains thicker than some foldable devices produced by Chinese competitors.
Apple arrives late to the foldable race
New Chief Executive John Ternus, previously Apple's hardware chief, led the launch, taking charge of one of the company's most consequential product events after succeeding Tim Cook.
The stakes are particularly high for Apple. The iPhone generated $209.6 billion in revenue during the company's most recent fiscal year, accounting for just over half of its total sales.
The Duo therefore represents not only a new device category for Apple but also an attempt to generate additional growth from its most important business.
Ternus argued that existing foldable phones had not adequately addressed everyday activities such as scrolling and watching videos. Apple, he said, had sought to combine the portability of an iPhone with some of the functionality offered by the larger iPad display.
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Apple is also pitching the Duo as a productivity device. Demonstrations showed users participating in Zoom calls with multiple people, viewing more information on Slack and running multiple applications simultaneously on the larger display.
The phone will be powered by Apple's A20 Pro processor and a new C2 modem developed in-house, extending the company's efforts to reduce its dependence on Qualcomm's wireless modem technology.
Apple said the Duo's battery would support up to 24 hours of mixed dual-screen use and could reach 50 per cent charge in about 20 minutes.
Huawei’s dominance makes China the key battleground
Analysts expect Apple's arrival to alter competition in the foldable segment. International Data Corporation forecasts that Apple could capture about 40 per cent of the market by the end of next year, although the company will face particularly strong competition in China, where Huawei has established a dominant position.
“The real fight is China, where Huawei owns nearly 80% of foldables,” said Francisco Jeronimo, vice-president for Data and Analytics, Devices, at IDC EMEA.
Apple shares closed 0.3 per cent lower at $315.34 following Wednesday's presentation.
The launch also offered Ternus an opportunity to outline Apple's approach to artificial intelligence, an increasingly important battleground among the world's largest technology companies.
Apple puts privacy at the centre of its AI strategy
He positioned privacy as a central distinction between Apple's AI strategy and competing services that rely more heavily on cloud-based processing.
“Trust only goes so far when your data is no longer yours to control,” Ternus said, adding that Apple Intelligence would process information directly on devices whenever possible.
Apple also introduced updated versions of its conventional smartphones, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Prices will start at $1,199 and $1,299 respectively, representing a $100 increase from the starting prices of their predecessors.
The company announced additional measures aimed at identifying manipulated and artificial intelligence-generated images. Its new “Apple Reference Image” standard is designed to verify photographs captured using iPhone 18 Pro cameras, while the devices will also support SynthID technology for identifying AI-generated or edited content. Apple said its Reference Image feature would not initially be available in the European Union or China.
Beyond smartphones, Apple unveiled new AirPods starting at $129 with noise cancellation, bringing the feature to its lower-priced earbuds. It also introduced the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, with updated fitness, recovery and heart-rate monitoring features.
The $1,999 Duo, however, was the centrepiece of the launch and could provide an important test of whether Apple's entry can turn foldable smartphones from a premium niche into a more established part of the global handset market.
