Apple unveils $1,999 foldable iPhone Duo and raises iPhone 18 Pro pricing

Foldable design and technical specifications

Apple presented the iPhone Duo on 9 September 2026 at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, marking its entry into the foldable smartphone segment after eight years of internal development. The presentation was led by John Ternus in his first keynote since replacing Tim Cook as chief executive officer earlier in the month. The device adopts a passport-sized form factor when closed, featuring a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR outer screen and an unfolding 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR inner display with a custom nano-textured coating. Hardware features include a Grade 5 titanium frame, an in-house proprietary hinge, IP68 water and dust resistance, and Touch ID integrated into the side power button rather than Face ID. The device is powered by the A20 Pro processor built on TSMC's 2-nanometer process, providing up to 44 hours of video playback on the external display and 31 hours on the internal screen.

For a device that plays such a central role in your life, a larger screen would open entirely new possibilities. We believe that the best way to achieve this is through a foldable design.

Market landscape and shipment projections

The launch comes seven years after competing manufacturers released their first foldable devices. According to market data from Counterpoint, Samsung held 40% of the foldable smartphone market last year, followed by Huawei at 30% and Motorola at 12%, down from Samsung's 80% market share in 2021 and 50% in 2024. Counterpoint projects that Apple will capture 25% of the foldable market across full-year 2026, with Samsung retaining 32% and Huawei holding 24%. IDC estimates that Apple could ship 10 million foldable units in its first year and reach a 40% market share in 2027.

iPhone 18 Pro updates and pricing adjustments

Alongside the foldable device, Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, raising base prices by $100 across both models due to global component shortages affecting memory chips. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299. Both smartphones run on the A20 Pro chip featuring a 6-core CPU, a 7-core GPU, two neural engine units for on-device artificial intelligence, and a passive graphite-and-copper thermal cooling assembly three times larger than the iPhone 17 Pro. Hardware upgrades include a 48-megapixel Fusion main camera with a variable aperture, a smaller Dynamic Island, and extended battery life delivering up to 36 hours of video playback on the Pro and 45 hours on the Pro Max for eSIM models.

With iPhone 18 Pro, we made progress in the areas that matter most to our users: camera, performance, battery, and intelligence. And we did not limit ourselves to incremental improvements in these areas; we made giant leaps forward to create the best iPhone Pro we have ever made.

Software integration and rollout timeline

Apple updated iOS with interface changes tailored to dual-screen hardware, adding multitasking controls, Split View video pinning, and full compatibility with Apple Pencil later in the year. The operating system also incorporates an upgraded Siri assistant compatible with over 300,000 third-party applications, with European availability projected for 2027. Pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max begin on 12 September 2026, followed by retail availability on 18 September 2026. The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for 256 GB of storage, with pre-orders opening on 16 October 2026 and deliveries starting on 23 October 2026.

We analyzed every aspect of iOS to see how we could make it even more useful on iPhone Duo.