Reviewers praise the 7.6-inch inner screen but question the price and app support.
Apple’s first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, went on sale Friday at Apple stores around the world, starting at $1,999 for 256GB. Supply is limited. Apple executives including John Ternus and Deirdre O’Brien greeted customers at its Austin, Texas, store, while Greg Joswiak welcomed shoppers at Apple Fifth Avenue in New York, Apple said.
The Duo has a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display that opens like a small tablet, according to Consumer Reports. Tom’s Guide says it runs on the A20 Pro chip and has an IP68 water and dust rating, better than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8. It weighs 254 grams, heavier than that rival. Consumer Reports noted the phone has 48-megapixel main and ultrawide cameras but no telephoto lens, so optical zoom stops at 2x, a weaker camera setup than the cheaper iPhone 18 Pro.
Early reviews are mixed. CNN, which tested the phone for a week, found that apps including Google Maps, Gmail, Uber and Call of Duty: Mobile did not properly fill the larger screen. It concluded that buyers who don’t specifically need a big foldable screen have little reason to pay the price at launch. YouTuber Marques Brownlee said it is probably not for people who mostly text and browse, Reuters reported. Consumer Reports said whether it is worth the premium depends on how you use your phone, and maybe the size of your hands.
Samsung and Huawei have sold premium foldables for years, and the Duo is a test of whether Apple can reshape the market. Research firm IDC forecasts Apple will lead foldables by 2027, according to Reuters. Some buyers in Hong Kong told the news agency they planned to resell their phones at a profit.
This report draws on information from Apple, Reuters, CNN, Consumer Reports and Tom’s Guide.