Apple has launched its first foldable iPhone, called the iPhone Duo, as it moves to take on Samsung, Google and other brands that have been selling foldable phones for some time.
The phone was unveiled at Apple’s biggest product event of the year, CNN reported on Thursday, September 10, 2026. It starts at $1,999 and goes on sale on October 23.
The Duo opens into a 7.6-inch screen and folds into a smaller phone with a 5.4-inch outer display. Apple says it is the thinnest iPhone ever when fully opened. It is built for gaming, watching videos and doing many things at once. Apple has also redesigned iOS to make good use of the bigger screen, and the phone works with Apple Pencil.
With this move, Apple now competes directly with Samsung and Google, which have already released several foldable phones. The company is banking on its design, software and ecosystem to convince buyers to pay a higher price.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max also launched
Apple also introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, starting at $1,199 and $1,299 respectively. Both run on the new A20 Pro chip and have a 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, which gives users more control over photos and videos.
Apple says the Pro Max has the biggest battery-life improvement in iPhone history. Pre-orders opened on September 12, and sales began on September 18, 2026.
New Apple Watch and AirPods
The Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 come with a new Health Sensing System. The AirPods 5 bring active noise cancellation, better sound and Live Translation.
First keynote for new CEO
The event was also the first major product keynote for John Ternus, who became Apple’s CEO on September 1 after taking over from Tim Cook. With the foldable iPhone as the star product, the launch is seen as an early test of Apple’s next chapter under his leadership.
