Apple iPhone Duo Launched: First Foldable iPhone Priced At ₹2.99 Lakh, Features And Pre-Order Details

Apple has entered the foldable smartphone market with the launch of its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, at its much-awaited launch event on Wednesday. Introduced by Apple executive John Ternus, the device has a passport-like design with rounded edges and opens horizontally into a large 7.6-inch display. When folded, it features a smaller outer screen. Apple calls it its thinnest iPhone ever when open, while the device also supports Apple Pencil input for the first time on an iPhone.

iPhone Duo Design, Display And Key Features

Ternus described the iPhone Duo as “unlike any iPhone you've experienced before” while retaining the familiarity of Apple's smartphone design. The foldable opens into what Apple says is its largest-ever iPhone display, with the 7.6-inch inner screen offering about 80 per cent more display area than the iPhone 18 Pro.

The outer display occupies around 90 per cent of the iPhone 18 Pro's screen area, allowing users to operate the phone normally while it is folded. Apple said the hinge is engineered to keep the display flat when opened and precisely control the opening and closing motion.

The iPhone Duo is powered by the A20 Pro chip, the same processor used in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. It comes with a 48-megapixel camera and is available in Star White and Night Sky colours.

The device uses titanium for its case and has separate batteries on either side of the foldable design. Apple claims up to 24 hours of battery life with both screens used equally. Fast charging can take the battery to 50 per cent in about 20 minutes, while five minutes of charging can provide up to five hours of video playback on the outer display.

Unlike conventional iPhones, the iPhone Duo uses a fingerprint sensor integrated into the side button for unlocking. It is also eSIM-only worldwide.

Apple is also positioning the larger screen as a productivity feature. The iPhone Duo supports the Apple Pencil, bringing a capability previously associated primarily with the iPad to the iPhone.

Apple C2 Modem Powers Foldable, India Price At ₹2.99 Lakh

The iPhone Duo is also among the first Apple devices to use the company's new C2 modem, its second-generation in-house cellular modem. The move further reduces Apple's dependence on Qualcomm, which has long been a major supplier of smartphone modems.

Apple chief hardware officer Johny Srouji said the C2 modem is 50 per cent faster than its predecessor and consumes 15 per cent less energy. It also adds 5G mmWave support in the US and uses AI algorithms to improve cellular reliability, including faster reconnection in areas with weak coverage.

Apple has priced the iPhone Duo at $1,999 in the US, a price broadly in line with competing foldable smartphones and below some Wall Street expectations. In India, the device starts at ₹2,99,900.

Pre-orders will open at 5 a.m. PT on October 16 in more than 70 countries and regions, including India, the US, UK, China, Japan, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Singapore and the UAE. The iPhone Duo will go on sale in these markets from October 23, followed by 28 additional countries and regions from October 30.

Apple's entry into foldables comes years after Samsung Electronics and Huawei Technologies established themselves in the category. Despite the segment remaining relatively niche, analysts expect Apple's arrival to significantly expand the market. International Data Corporation has forecast that Apple could capture around 40 per cent of the global foldable smartphone market by the end of next year.