DUBAI, United Arab Emirates / RankWire.AI / – Apple’s first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, is drawing strong demand and close scrutiny in its first weeks on sale. The book-style device pairs a 5.4-inch outer display with a 7.6-inch inner screen, and both share the same aspect ratio. Apple unveiled it on September 9 and began sales on October 23. Prices start at $1,999 in the US. The wider, passport-like shape sets it apart from the tall, narrow outer screens of earlier book-style foldables.
Apple says the outer screen offers about 90% of the screen area of an iPhone 18 Pro, so many tasks can be handled without unfolding. The inner display is about 50% larger than the screen of the iPhone 18 Pro Max. A nano-texture finish reduces glare and reflections and helps hide the centre crease. Apple says the custom polymer cover is up to 40% stiffer than industry alternatives. Early reviewers have praised a hinge that leaves almost no visible crease.
The phone is built around a grade 5 titanium frame. Its hinge uses more than 100 components, including a 3D-printed titanium cover, support ribs and a titanium plate beneath the display stack. Special adhesives let the display layers glide past one another like the pages of a book, relieving bending stress. The front uses Ceramic Shield 2 and the device carries an IP68 rating. Apple sells it in two colours, star white and night sky, with storage from 256GB to 2TB.
Touch ID returns as Face ID is dropped
The iPhone Duo does not offer Face ID. Instead, Touch ID is built into the side button and works whether the phone is folded or open. Users can also unlock it with an Apple Watch. A FaceTime camera sits beneath the inner display and stays hidden when not in use. On the back, two 48MP cameras cover main and ultra-wide shots. There is no dedicated telephoto lens, although the main camera offers an optical-quality 2x option. Video recording reaches 4K at 120 frames per second.
The phone runs on the A20 Pro chip, the same processor used in the iPhone 18 Pro. A custom vapour chamber helps deliver up to 35% better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro. A battery in each half works as one system, rated at up to 24 hours of mixed use. Wired charging reaches about 50% in around 20 minutes. The device is eSIM-only in every market. It also brings Split View to the iPhone, with Apple Pencil support arriving later this year.
Shortages push resale prices higher
Pre-orders sold out within minutes, and delivery dates for new orders have moved to late January. Apple Stores have limited walk-in stock in markets including the US, Canada, Australia and much of Europe. Resale listings for the base model have reached upwards of $4,000 on eBay. Apple priced the Duo $100 below Samsung’s $2,099 Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra. Samsung’s earlier Galaxy Z Fold7 helped set the benchmark for book-style foldables in 2025.
Early reviews have been mixed beyond the design. John Gruber described the device as an extraordinarily polished prototype. Marques Brownlee said it is probably not worth it for buyers who mainly text, browse and use social media. IDC’s Francisco Jeronimo said Apple had made a convincing case for the form factor. The lack of Face ID and a dedicated telephoto lens may deter some buyers. Apple also brought touch input to the Mac for the first time with its new MacBook Pro in October.