Apple announced the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone, on September 9, 2026, with a US starting price of $1,999 for 256GB. Preorders begin October 16 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, and availability starts October 23 in more than 70 countries and regions.
What the $1,999 model gets you
Apple lists four storage capacities for the iPhone Duo: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB. The 256GB configuration is the one attached to the confirmed US starting price.
The book-style foldable has a 5.36-inch outer display and a 7.58-inch inner display, measured as standard rectangles; Apple markets them as 5.4 inches and 7.6 inches. Its A20 Pro chip uses a 2-nanometer process and includes a six-core CPU and seven-core GPU.
The rear camera system combines a 48MP Fusion Main camera with optical-quality 2× telephoto and a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera with macro photography. Touch ID is built into the side button, and the phone uses eSIM only. Apple says support for Apple Pencil with USB-C will arrive later in 2026 and work on either display.
Apple claims up to 31 hours of video playback using the inner display, up to 44 hours using the outer display, and up to 24 hours of typical use when both displays are used equally. Those figures come from controlled tests with preproduction units; actual battery life varies with configuration, network, signal, settings, and use.
What the inner screen changes
The wider display gives apps room to appear side by side. A demonstration of a foldable phone shows a user switching between split-screen apps, browsing, and full-screen layouts.
How it compares with iPhone 18 Pro
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 for 256GB in the US, an $800 difference between the two models’ starting prices. Their hardware points to different priorities: the Duo folds open to a larger inner screen, while the iPhone 18 Pro has a triple 48MP rear-camera system with a variable-aperture main camera.
| Feature | iPhone Duo | iPhone 18 Pro |
| US starting price | $1,999 for 256GB | $1,199 for 256GB |
| Form factor | Book-style foldable | Conventional slab |
| Rear cameras | 48MP main with optical-quality 2× telephoto, plus 48MP Ultra Wide | Triple 48MP system; variable-aperture main camera |
| Biometrics | Touch ID in the side button | Face ID |
If the fold-out screen and side-by-side apps are the main draw, the Duo puts that format at the center of the experience. If you would rather have a conventional phone with Face ID and a triple-camera system, the iPhone 18 Pro starts at a lower price.
