Apple's First Foldable iPhone Duo Debuts at $1,999 Alongside Pricier 18 Pro Line
Apple launched iPhone Duo, its first foldable, and the iPhone 18 Pro series with a $100 price hike, alongside new Watches and AirPods.
Apple has entered the foldable smartphone market with the launch of the iPhone Duo, a passport-shaped device that opens to reveal a 7.6-inch inner display alongside a 5.4-inch outer screen. The design, touted as the thinnest iPhone when open, allows users to run two applications simultaneously. The device is powered by the new A20 Pro chip, built on a 2-nanometer process, which Apple claims enhances on-device AI, graphics, and battery efficiency through a vapor-chamber cooling system.
The Duo starts at $1,999, a premium of about $100 over comparable base models from Samsung and Google, though it offers up to 2 terabytes of storage—a capacity its rivals do not match. It supports the Apple Pencil and integrates Touch ID into the side button. Pre-orders open on October 16, with retail availability following on October 23.
In the same event, Apple raised prices on its Pro lineup by $100, citing a surge in memory chip costs. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max now start at $1,199 and $1,299, respectively. Both models feature the A20 Pro chip and a new 48-megapixel main camera with a variable aperture system for improved low-light performance and depth-of-field control. Apple also introduced a photo-authentication standard and added support for SynthID to flag AI-generated or edited images, though these features will not be available in the European Union or China.
New CEO John Ternus used the event to frame privacy as Apple's central advantage in the AI era, positioning the iPhone as an "intelligent personal hub." The company reiterated that AI processing happens on-device whenever possible, with cloud-based tasks routed through its Private Cloud Compute system. Siri, which will work with over 300,000 apps at launch, is set to perform actions across both Apple and third-party applications.
The company also refreshed its wearable lineup with the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, priced at $399 and $799, respectively. These models introduce a redesigned health-sensing system, a new S11 chip, a Readiness score, and audio intelligence tools. Additionally, a new generation of AirPods starting at $129 brings active noise cancellation to entry-level earbuds for the first time, with a $149 variant adding wireless charging and on-stem volume controls.