Apple Just Changed the Foldable Forever Meet iPhone Duo & More

Apple has finally done what the company avoided for years: it has entered the foldable smartphone market. At its September 9, 2026 “Surprise and Shine” event, Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone and one of the biggest hardware changes in the history of the product line. The company also introduced the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5.

The event was also significant for another reason. It was the first major iPhone launch led by Apple CEO John Ternus, following Tim Cook’s departure from the CEO role earlier this month.

Here is everything Apple announced and why the iPhone Duo could change the direction of the iPhone lineup.

iPhone Duo Is Apple’s First Foldable iPhone

The biggest announcement of the night was undoubtedly the iPhone Duo.

Apple’s first foldable iPhone uses a passport-style design. When closed, it has a 5.4-inch outer display. Open it up and the device reveals a much larger 7.6-inch foldable display.

That gives the Duo a fundamentally different use case from a conventional iPhone. Apple is positioning the larger screen for multitasking, productivity, entertainment and other situations where a standard smartphone display feels restrictive.

The company has also redesigned iOS to take advantage of the changing screen configuration, allowing users to work with multiple apps and layouts across the larger display.

iPhone Duo Specifications at a Glance

Apple says the Duo is built around a titanium design and reinforced hinge system. It also uses a custom display construction designed specifically for the foldable form factor.

Apple Is Betting Big on the A20 Pro

Powering the iPhone Duo is Apple’s new A20 Pro chip, built using a 2nm manufacturing process.

The chip is particularly important for the Duo because Apple needs to handle a larger display, multitasking, graphics and on-device AI without turning the foldable into a battery or performance compromise.

Apple has also added an advanced cooling system to the Duo. Reuters reports that the device combines the A20 Pro with a vapor-chamber cooling system, while the new Apple-designed C2 modem handles cellular connectivity.

The iPhone Duo Is Expensive—Very Expensive

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 in the US, putting it firmly in ultra-premium territory.

In India, the starting price is even more striking: ₹2,99,900 for the 256GB model. The range extends to ₹4,49,900 for the 2TB version.

That makes the iPhone Duo one of the most expensive mainstream smartphones available in India and pushes Apple’s top-end iPhone pricing into a completely new category.

iPhone Duo Is More Than Just a Bigger Screen

The interesting part of Apple’s foldable strategy isn’t simply the screen size. It is how the company is trying to make the foldable form factor feel like an extension of iOS rather than a separate product category.

The large internal display supports multitasking, while Apple’s software dynamically adapts to the different physical configurations.

The Duo also supports Apple Pencil, giving the large display a productivity angle that could make it more useful for note-taking, sketching and other creative tasks.

Apple has also integrated Touch ID into the side button, while the front camera is placed beneath the display to reduce interruptions on the large inner screen.

iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max Are the Conventional Flagships

While the Duo stole the spotlight, Apple also introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Both models use the new A20 Pro chip and focus heavily on camera improvements, battery life and AI-powered features.

The biggest camera change is the introduction of a 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture. Variable aperture gives the camera greater control over how much light enters the lens and can provide more flexibility across different lighting conditions.

iPhone 18 Pro Pricing in India

Both models are available with storage options reaching up to 2TB. Apple has also introduced a new burgundy color alongside black, silver and glacier finishes.

Apple Is Finally Taking Its AI Strategy More Seriously

AI was another major theme of the event.

Apple is putting greater emphasis on on-device intelligence, Siri and privacy-focused AI processing. The company is also using Private Cloud Compute for tasks that require additional processing while keeping its privacy positioning at the center of the experience.

The new iPhone generation also introduces AI-powered image authenticity tools designed to help users identify whether images have been generated or manipulated by AI.

Apple’s approach is different from simply putting a chatbot on the phone. The company wants AI to become part of the operating system and the way users interact with their devices.

Apple Watch Series 12 Gets a Major Health Upgrade

Apple’s smartwatch lineup also received a significant refresh.

The Apple Watch Series 12 introduces an all-new Health Sensing System designed to improve heart-rate and other health measurements. Apple says more frequent heart-rate variability readings can provide additional insight into stress and recovery.

The watch also introduces Readiness, giving users a daily indication of how prepared their body may be for activity and recovery.

Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399 in the US and ₹56,900 in India. It is scheduled to become available on September 18.

Apple Watch Ultra 4 Is Built for Longer Adventures

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 continues Apple’s rugged smartwatch strategy while improving battery life, health tracking and outdoor functionality.

Apple says the Ultra 4 delivers the longest battery life of any Apple Watch, with up to 45 hours of Max Extended Workout tracking.

It also gets the new S11 chip and the updated health-sensing platform.

The Ultra 4 starts at $799 in the US and ₹1,09,900 in India, with availability beginning September 18.

AirPods 5 Bring Active Noise Cancellation to an Open-Ear Design

Apple also announced AirPods 5, giving its more accessible AirPods line a major audio upgrade.

The biggest change is Active Noise Cancellation in the open-ear design. Apple says the new generation can deliver up to 1.5x more ANC than the previous generation while using a new acoustic architecture.

The AirPods 5 start at $129 in the US and ₹14,900 in India. They are scheduled to go on sale September 18.

What Apple Did Not Announce

One interesting part of the event was what Apple left out.

The company did not introduce a standard iPhone 18 alongside the Pro models at this event. That means Apple’s iPhone release strategy is becoming more staggered, with the premium models taking center stage in September.

Apple also did not unveil the rumored camera-equipped AirPods at this event. Reports indicate that those products have been pushed toward 2027.

Why the iPhone Duo Could Change the Smartphone Market

Foldable phones have existed for years, with Samsung, Huawei and other manufacturers already experimenting with multiple generations of devices.

Apple’s entry is different because of the scale of the iPhone ecosystem.

If Apple can make the Duo feel as natural to use as a regular iPhone while giving users a tablet-sized screen when needed, it could push foldable phones from a niche premium category toward the mainstream.

The price, however, will be the biggest barrier. At ₹2,99,900 in India, the Duo is not competing for the mass-market smartphone buyer. It is aimed squarely at customers who want Apple’s newest form factor regardless of the premium.

iPhone Duo vs iPhone 18 Pro: Which One Makes More Sense?

For most people, the iPhone 18 Pro remains the more practical choice. The Duo makes more sense for users who specifically want the flexibility of a foldable display and are willing to pay a substantial premium for it.

When Will the New iPhones Be Available?

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max open for pre-orders on September 12 and go on sale September 18.

The iPhone Duo follows a later schedule. Apple says pre-orders begin October 16, with availability from October 23.

That later launch also gives Apple additional time to ramp up production of what is likely to be a significantly more complex device than its conventional iPhones.

Apple’s Biggest iPhone Change in Years Is Finally Real

For years, Apple’s biggest smartphone changes have been refinements rather than completely new form factors. The iPhone Duo changes that.

It combines a foldable display, a redesigned version of iOS, Apple Pencil support, the A20 Pro chip and a premium hardware design into a product that sits somewhere between an iPhone and a small tablet.

The iPhone 18 Pro may be the safer flagship upgrade, but the iPhone Duo is the device that will define Apple’s September 2026 event.

Whether it becomes Apple’s next major product category or remains an ultra-premium niche device will depend on one thing more than anything else: whether people believe the foldable experience is worth paying nearly ₹3 lakh for.

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