Apple's first folding iPhone, the Duo, has a 7.6-inch unfolding screen, and within a week several major apps including Instagram, Threads, Slack and Google updated to properly support its larger display and vertical layout. Full compatibility requires developers to target the iOS 27.1 SDK. The device launches seven years after Samsung's original Galaxy Fold, with an IP68 rating and a largely concealed crease thanks to its display design and matte nanotexture screen.
wired.com
· 2026-10-21
Apple told Reuters that only a limited number of iPhone Duo foldable phones will be available for walk-in customers at its stores when the device launches Friday, October 23rd. Online preorders for the $1,999 device, Apple's first foldable with a 5.4-inch outer and 7.6-inch inner display, sold out quickly, pushing some delivery estimates into next year. In some markets, including Japan, South Korea, and the UAE, customers can only obtain the device through a pickup reservation rather than walk-in purchase.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-21
The Verge's senior smartphone reviewer spent a week testing the iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable iPhone, alongside editor-in-chief Nilay Patel, and hosted a live Q&A session to field reader questions about the device. The published review already covered core functionality, but the reviewer noted there was more detail to share about how the device operates in daily use.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-21
Apple has released the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone, which uses a wide, passport-shaped design rather than the tall-and-narrow form factor most rival foldables have adopted since 2020. The review describes the device as a significant but unfinished first-generation product, aimed more at gadget enthusiasts than mainstream buyers.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-21
A senior tech reviewer who tested the iPhone Duo for a week says the nano-texture matte finish on its 7.6-inch inner screen stands out as the device's strongest feature. She notes it reduces glare and improves readability compared with the glossy inner displays found on other book-style foldables she has used over the past five years.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-21
Apple confirmed to CNET that the iPhone Duo, its first foldable phone, will ship on Oct. 23 running iOS 27.1 instead of the base iOS 27 version used on other iPhones. Apple says iOS 27.1 retains the iOS 27 foundation but adds features built specifically for the foldable design, while all iPhones will later receive iOS 27.2, whose release candidate arrived Oct. 19.
cnet.com
· 2026-10-21
A leak reported by 9to5Google indicates Samsung intends to launch six separate foldable devices next year: the Galaxy Z Slide, Z TriFold2, Z Fold9, Z Fold9 Pro, Z Fold9 Ultra, and Z Flip9. The move follows Apple's launch of the iPhone Duo, which has reportedly seen demand far outstrip supply, and comes after Samsung reportedly moved up the release of its Z Trifold 2.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-10-20
Apple's first foldable device, the iPhone Duo, is seeing delivery estimates stretch to Jan. 25 for some configurations ahead of its Friday store launch. Morgan Stanley reported the Duo's 14-week average preorder lead time is the longest of any iPhone tracked in a decade, while iPhone 18 Pro lead times are down year over year. Melius Research cited the Duo as one factor supporting Apple's recent climb past a $5 trillion market valuation.
cnbc.com
· 2026-10-19
Apple's first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, saw estimated delivery dates slip to January almost immediately after pre-orders opened on Friday, even for early buyers. Some observers have criticized Apple for launching with what they call insufficient stock, calling it a major misstep.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-10-19
A reader survey asked which $2,000 foldable phone people would rather buy, and a majority chose an existing foldable device over Apple's rumored dual-screen 'iPhone Duo' concept. The poll suggests persistent skepticism toward foldables in general, with voters still preferring an established competitor's design.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-10-19
Apple's EU regulatory filing revealed iPhone Duo's battery totals 4883mAh, split across two cells of 2962mAh and 1921mAh. That places it between the iPhone 18 Pro (4288mAh) and iPhone 18 Pro Max (5567mAh), with Apple citing up to 44 hours of video playback on the outer display and 31 hours on the inner display.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-10-19
The foldable phone category began in 2019 with Royole's FlexPai, an awkward but functional first commercial device using flexible OLED. Samsung's Galaxy Fold followed the same year but suffered widespread screen failures tied to a misunderstood protective layer, forcing a delay and redesign. Huawei took a different approach with the outward-folding Mate X, which looked elegant but left its display exposed to scratches and was never sold in the US due to sanctions.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-18
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