Apple Finally Folds: The iPhone Duo Arrives with a $2,000 Price Tag

**Opinion:** Let’s be real—Apple is finally folding, but I’ll bet my last paycheck they’re charging a 'luxury tax' for hardware that Samsung perfected years ago. While the marketing will call it innovation, we're essentially paying for the privilege of Apple catching up to a market that's been open for a decade.

According to reporting from Engadget, the iPhone Duo has officially arrived after nearly 10 years of rumors. The device features a 7.6-inch inner screen and introduces Apple Pencil support to the iPhone lineup for the first time. Engadget notes that the hardware includes a nano-coating to provide a matte finish, which serves to reduce reflections and hide the foldable crease.

In terms of software, Engadget reports that the iPhone Duo utilizes iOS 27, offering a refined user interface with a side-shifted app dock and menus when unfolded. While the device supports app multitasking and multi-camera FaceTime calls, it is limited to a two-app function—a stark contrast to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, which Engadget reports can run up to five apps simultaneously via split-screen and floating windows.

Reporting from The Verge highlights that the iPhone Duo was introduced during a launch event led by CEO John Ternus. Analysis from The Verge suggests that Apple essentially "picked and chose" the most successful elements of Android foldables to integrate into the Duo. However, the device comes with significant hardware compromises; Engadget points out that the iPhone Duo lacks a telephoto camera and the variable-aperture camera found on the iPhone 18 Pro.

As for the cost, Engadget reports the iPhone Duo will retail for $2,000. This cost sits between the $1,899 Pixel 11 Pro Fold and the $2,100 Galaxy Fold 8 Ultra. Engadget notes this price is $100 higher than the launch price of the Galaxy Fold 8. It is a steep entry point for a device that, as Engadget observes, reverts to Touch ID rather than utilizing newer biometric standards.