Apple Enters the Foldable Phone Era: What the New iPhone Duo Means for the Smartphone Market

Apple has finally entered the foldable smartphone market, marking one of the biggest design changes to the iPhone in years.

At its September 2026 product event, the company introduced the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone, under new CEO John Ternus. The launch represents more than a new product category for Apple—it is also an important test of how the company plans to compete in the rapidly changing AI and premium smartphone markets.

The new foldable iPhone starts at $1,999, with pre-orders beginning October 16 and sales starting October 23.

What makes the iPhone Duo different?

The iPhone Duo uses a passport-style folding design.

When closed, it functions like a conventional smartphone with a 5.4-inch outer display. When opened, the device expands into a 7.6-inch screen, giving users a much larger display without carrying a traditional tablet.

The larger screen can also support multitasking, allowing users to keep two applications open at the same time.

Apple has positioned the device as its thinnest iPhone when opened, while also focusing heavily on the engineering behind the folding mechanism.

Why is Apple launching a foldable iPhone now?

Foldable phones are not new.

Samsung has been developing the category since 2019, while Huawei, Google and other manufacturers have introduced competing designs.

However, foldables have remained a relatively small part of the overall smartphone market because consumers have had concerns about price, durability, battery life, cameras and visible creases in flexible displays.

Apple appears to be taking a different approach: instead of being the first major smartphone company to introduce the technology, it has entered after competitors have spent years developing and refining it.

That gives Apple an opportunity to study what worked—and what did not.

Reuters notes that advances in screen durability and hinge technology have helped make the foldable category more mature.

A premium price tag

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999, putting it firmly in Apple's premium product segment.

That price is roughly $100 higher than Samsung's comparable Galaxy Z Fold8 at its base storage level.

Apple is also offering up to 2TB of storage, giving the device an unusually large storage capacity for a smartphone.

For consumers, however, the major question will be whether the additional screen space and Apple's ecosystem justify the significant premium over conventional flagship phones.

Apple is betting on AI too

The foldable design is only one part of Apple's strategy.

The iPhone Duo is powered by Apple's A20 Pro chip, built using a 2-nanometer process. Apple says the chip and its vapor-chamber cooling system are designed to improve graphics, battery efficiency and on-device artificial intelligence performance.

This is important because Apple's smartphone strategy is increasingly connected to its AI ambitions.

The company is emphasizing AI that can operate directly on the device, while using cloud processing when additional computing power is required.

Apple is also promoting privacy through its Private Cloud Compute system.

What does the new CEO John Ternus bring?

The launch is particularly significant because it is the first major iPhone event under John Ternus, following Tim Cook's departure as CEO.

Ternus previously led Apple's hardware engineering organization, making the company's hardware strategy especially important during his early tenure.

His first major product cycle combines two of the industry's biggest trends: foldable hardware and artificial intelligence.

The success of the iPhone Duo could therefore influence how investors and consumers view Apple's next phase of growth.

Apple versus Samsung: a new premium smartphone battle

Apple's entry immediately changes the competitive landscape.

Samsung has spent years building its foldable business and has launched multiple generations of Galaxy Fold devices. Huawei and other Chinese manufacturers have also invested heavily in foldable technology.

Samsung responded to Apple's launch with a marketing campaign highlighting its experience and thinner foldable designs. Reuters reports that Counterpoint expects Apple could capture around 25% of the foldable smartphone market in 2026, compared with an estimated 38% for Samsung.

Apple's advantage, however, may not simply be hardware specifications.

The company's enormous installed user base, strong brand recognition, retail network and ecosystem could bring foldable phones to consumers who have never previously considered buying one.

Could Apple make foldables mainstream?

This may be the biggest question surrounding the iPhone Duo.

Foldable smartphones have existed for several years, but they have not yet replaced conventional phones.

Apple's entry could change that.

The original iPhone helped popularize touchscreen smartphones even though touchscreen technology existed before Apple entered the market. The company could be attempting a similar strategy with foldables: enter a developing category when the technology has become mature enough for mass-market consumers.

IDC expects foldable smartphone shipments to grow strongly in 2026 while conventional smartphone shipments face pressure.

What does the foldable design mean for everyday users?

For consumers, the biggest benefit is screen flexibility.

A user can carry a relatively compact phone and then unfold it when they need a larger display.

That could be useful for:

• Watching videos
• Reading documents
• Multitasking
• Browsing websites
• Editing photos
• Using productivity applications
• Reading small text more comfortably

Apple Pencil support also gives the larger screen an additional productivity and creative use case.

The bigger business story

The foldable iPhone comes at an important time for Apple.

The smartphone market is highly mature, particularly in developed economies. Consumers are increasingly holding onto phones for longer, making major hardware upgrades more difficult to generate.

A radically redesigned iPhone gives Apple another reason for existing customers to consider upgrading.

The foldable category could also allow Apple to charge premium prices while expanding the role of the iPhone beyond the traditional smartphone form factor.

Reuters has highlighted the importance of finding new growth opportunities as smartphone markets mature.

What about Apple's prices in India?

Indian consumers will be watching Apple's pricing particularly closely.

Apple has raised prices on several existing iPhone models in India following its latest product event, with some increases reaching as high as 41%.

Reuters reports that the Indian price of the foldable iPhone is substantially higher than its U.S. equivalent, partly reflecting India's import duties and 18% GST.

This could make the foldable iPhone a luxury purchase for many Indian consumers rather than a mainstream upgrade.

What could happen next?

Apple's entry could accelerate competition across the foldable smartphone market.

Samsung will have to defend its technological lead, while Chinese manufacturers may face greater pressure to differentiate their products.

For consumers, stronger competition could eventually mean better hinges, thinner devices, improved displays, longer battery life and potentially lower prices.

For Apple, the challenge will be proving that the iPhone Duo is more than an expensive technological showcase.

If consumers embrace the format, Apple's first foldable could become the foundation of an entirely new iPhone category.

Final Takeaway

The iPhone Duo represents a major strategic move for Apple.

With a foldable 7.6-inch display, A20 Pro processor, Apple Pencil support, up to 2TB storage and a $1,999 starting price, Apple is positioning its first foldable as a premium device rather than an affordable experiment.

The launch also gives new CEO John Ternus an opportunity to establish his leadership through a major hardware redesign.

The real test will begin when consumers start buying the device in October.

If Apple succeeds, the iPhone Duo could help turn foldable smartphones from a niche premium product into the next major phase of the smartphone industry.