Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max pre-orders have slipped from launch-day delivery to estimates spanning late September into October, just days after orders opened. The Pro Max faces the longest wait, with US Apple Store estimates showing October 6-13 delivery across all colors and storage sizes, while the standard Pro shows September 29-October 6.
CNET compared Apple's newly announced iPhone Duo foldable against Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8, finding the two devices closely matched given their similar passport-style shape and near-identical pricing. Samsung's phone is thinner both folded and unfolded and charges faster over a wired connection, while Apple's Duo offers full dust and water resistance versus the Fold 8's more limited IP48 rating, plus MagSafe wireless charging that Samsung's device lacks.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman predicts that foldable phones, currently just 2% of the global smartphone market, will become the majority of new phone sales within ten years. He suggests Apple could eventually extend the format across its lineup, from a larger iPhone Duo Max down to a foldable iPhone SE as manufacturing costs decrease.
Apple has launched its first foldable phone as the iPhone Duo rather than the rumored iPhone Ultra, positioning it as a premium but not top-tier device that lacks a telephoto camera and has a smaller battery than the iPhone 18 Pro Max. The compact, palm-size Duo starts at $1,999 and will be available October 23, competing more closely with Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 than its flagship Z Fold 8 Ultra, which starts at $2,100 and is already on sale with Samsung's best camera and battery specs.
Apple has released the iPhone Duo, its first foldable phone, featuring a passport-style hinge and large displays, priced at over $2,000. Unlike Samsung, which has iterated on foldables for seven years mostly among tech enthusiasts, Apple's mainstream user base means early feedback could shape how folding phones evolve industry-wide.
In an interview with MKBHD, Apple's Craig Federighi addressed concerns that the foldable iPhone Duo could overlap with the iPad, particularly the iPad mini. He compared it to how users naturally settled into distinct usage patterns for iPad and Mac, predicting the same will happen with iPhone Duo and iPad. Federighi also emphasized that Apple built iOS for the Duo's form factor from scratch rather than stretching an existing interface to fit.
Apple's new foldable iPhone Duo introduces an easy split-screen multitasking system, letting users drag an app into half the screen while still seeing the home screen, save app pairs, and even split a video alongside an app. Meanwhile, iPadOS 27 continues to force users into an all-or-nothing choice between full-screen apps and its more complex windowing system.
Accessory maker ESR has launched a new product line timed to Apple's iPhone 18 launch, including its iPhone Duo foldable, the iPhone 18 Pro models, AirPods, Apple Watch and MagSafe wallets. The centerpiece is the Atelier Vegan Leather Magnetic Case with Flex Stand, built specifically to protect the Duo's hinge and dual screens without adding bulk. The case uses stain-resistant organic silicone leather and a rotating zinc-alloy stand designed to open and close smoothly.
Blogger Nicolas Lellouche discovered a hidden display option on the iPhone Duo called 'Shift Left Edge,' which adds a black border to the outer screen's left side, effectively doubling the bezel there. Apple's own description says the feature shifts content away from cases that partially cover that edge of the outer display.
Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo, a foldable phone launching October 23 starting at $1,999, whose hardware resembles rivals like Samsung's Z Fold 8. What sets it apart is a version of iOS and apps specifically reworked for the folding screen, including repositioned app icons and smoother transitions between the cover and inner displays.
Apple's 'Surprise and Shine' event introduced only two new iPhone models — the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max — alongside a foldable device called the iPhone Duo, priced at $1,999.99. The event also marked John Ternus's debut as CEO, opening the show solo rather than alongside outgoing CEO Tim Cook, who is now executive chair. CNET's reader prediction contest showed most participants expected three phones and a joint Cook-Ternus appearance, both of which turned out wrong.
Apple unveiled a new folding iPhone at an event led by John Ternus, marking his first major product showcase in his new leadership role. The device signals Apple's entry into the foldable phone category, a segment rivals have explored for years.