Apple's first foldable is the $1,999 iPhone Duo, and it swaps Face ID for Touch ID
Seven years after Samsung's first Galaxy Fold, Apple enters foldables with a 7.6-inch inner screen, the A20 Pro chip and prices up to $3,199.
Apple has finally entered the foldable phone market. At its September event on 9 September, the company announced the iPhone Duo, roughly seven years after Samsung opened the category with the original Galaxy Fold.
Price and availability
- Starts at $1,999 for 256GB
- Tops out at $3,199 for 2TB
- Pre-orders open 16 October, with shipping from 23 October
- Colours: Star White and Night Sky
Pricing for India had not been detailed in early coverage.
The hardware
According to reports on the announcement:
- 5.4-inch outer display for quick use while closed
- 7.6-inch inner display when unfolded
- A20 Pro chip
- Dual 48-megapixel cameras
- Touch ID built into the power button
Goodbye, Face ID (on this one)
The most surprising change is the lock screen. The iPhone Duo drops Face ID in favour of a fingerprint sensor in the power button, a notable reversal for Apple’s most expensive phones. Reports suggest it is an engineering compromise: fitting Face ID’s sensor array into a device that has to fold is hard, and two different screen configurations complicate it further.
Why it matters
Foldables have been around for years without breaking into the mainstream, held back by high prices, visible creases and concerns about durability. Apple’s entry doesn’t solve those issues on its own, and $1,999 is firmly premium territory. But Apple has a record of arriving late to a category and pulling it into the mainstream, as it did with smartwatches and wireless earbuds.
The real test comes in the reviews: how the crease looks, how the hinge holds up, and what iOS does with a 7.6-inch canvas.
Thinking of buying a foldable? Read our foldable phone buying guide.
