Apple has unveiled its first foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, in the first major product launch led by new chief executive John Ternus.
The device, called the iPhone Duo, was revealed at Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California. It has the largest display ever fitted to an Apple phone and folds to roughly the size of a passport.
Apple said the inner screen is 80 per cent larger than that of its next-largest iPhone and supports the Apple Pencil, marking the company’s entry into a smartphone market already served by rivals including Samsung, Google and Motorola.
Apple unveils first foldable iPhone
The iPhone Duo is expected to cost about $2,000, according to reports. Apple did not immediately confirm a UK price.
Introducing the handset, Mr Ternus said Apple had begun with the idea of creating “a larger display that feels as natural and intuitive as iPad” before combining it with a foldable design.
He said the product represented a new chapter for the iPhone, with Apple seeking to make the format feel familiar rather than experimental.
The launch comes just days after Mr Ternus succeeded Tim Cook, who became Apple’s executive chairman after 15 years as chief executive. His first keynote was closely watched for indications of how he intends to lead the world’s most valuable technology companies.
Forrester analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee said Mr Ternus had inherited “perhaps the most successful consumer technology juggernaut in modern times”, but faced the challenge of sustaining Apple’s growth while pushing it towards new products.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299. The phones will be available in black, silver, glacier blue and burgundy, with pre-orders opening on Friday and deliveries beginning on September 18.
Apple said the new models would offer improvements to battery life, cameras and performance. They are powered by the A20 Pro chip, which the company said could deliver graphics performance up to 30 per cent faster.
The iPhone 18 range also places renewed emphasis on Apple Intelligence and Siri. Mr Ternus said tasks would be handled on the device where possible, with more demanding requests processed through Apple’s private cloud infrastructure.
Apple also announced updated versions of the Apple Watch and AirPods. The company said its new watches would include additional health, fitness and artificial intelligence features, while the AirPods 5 would add greater durability and noise cancellation.
Investors will now be watching whether the foldable iPhone can turn a niche category into a significant new source of growth for Apple, particularly as the company faces higher memory and component costs across its hardware range.
