Apple Unveils First Foldable iPhone 'iPhone Duo'
Apple unveiled its first foldable iPhone 'iPhone Duo' at a new product launch event held at its headquarters in Cupertino, California on the 9th (local time). This marks a major transformation in form factor 19 years after the first iPhone's debut in 2007, signaling Apple's entry into the foldable smartphone market that Samsung Electronics has dominated.
The iPhone Duo employs an inward-folding design that reveals a 19.3cm (approximately 7.6-inch) internal display when unfolded. It boasts the largest screen ever on an iPhone, 50% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max. When folded, the external display measures 13.6cm, equivalent to 90% of the iPhone 18 Pro's screen area. With identical aspect ratios on both displays, content transitions seamlessly between opening and closing. It is also the thinnest iPhone ever in its unfolded state.
Titanium body, precision hinge...directly tackling durability and creasing issues
Apple directly addressed weaknesses long associated with foldable phones: durability and creasing. The body is made from Grade 5 titanium, and a precision hinge consisting of over 100 components keeps the screen center perfectly flat. The internal display features a nano-texture finish that reduces glare and minimizes the appearance of creasing, while the front is equipped with 'Ceramic Shield 2,' boasting three times higher scratch resistance than the previous generation. It also supports water and dust resistance (IP68).
The processor is the A20 Pro chip, built on a 2-nanometer process identical to the iPhone 18 Pro. Combined with a custom vapor chamber and dual batteries on both sides, Apple states the device can deliver up to 44 hours of video playback on the external display and up to 31 hours on the internal display on a single charge.
"A device for the AI era"...features Siri AI and Split View
Apple positions the iPhone Duo as "a device for the artificial intelligence (AI) era." Alongside the new operating system iOS 27, it supports 'Split View' multitasking for the first time on iPhone, allowing two apps to run side by side. A new voice assistant 'Siri AI' based on Apple Intelligence understands user context to retrieve information from messages, emails, and photos. Users can work on one side of the screen while conversing with Siri on the other.
Camera features leveraging the foldable structure also stand out. Notable examples include 'Duo Preview,' which captures selfies with a 48-megapixel rear fusion camera while confirming composition on the external display, and 'Smart Capture,' where on-device AI automatically photographs when a subject poses, even if the photographer isn't behind the camera.
Apple CEO John Ternus stated, "iPhone Duo is the most innovative and groundbreaking change since the first iPhone" and "it will redefine the usability of foldable phones."
Available in two colors—Star White and Night Sky—the domestic price starts from 3.29 million won (US $1,999). Pre-orders begin on October 16th with an official launch on October 23rd. South Korea is included in the first-wave launch countries.
With this move, the foldable smartphone market, long dominated by Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Z Fold and Flip series for over seven years, is expected to reshape into a duopoly. Apple's entry could accelerate foldable adoption, potentially creating significant ripple effects for South Korea's display and component industries that supply foldable panels and components.