CUPERTINO: Apple saved the best for last at its biggest launch event of the year Wednesday, unveiling the foldable iPhone Duo alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, AirPods 5 and Apple Watch Series 12.
CEO John Ternus made his debut at the helm of the product showcase, introducing the iPhone 18 Pro and Max in new glacier and burgundy colorways before revealing the company's first foldable iPhone. The new colors follow the success of last year's electric Cosmic Orange.
Foldable iPhone Duo Starts at $1,999
The iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable phone, starts at $1,999, in line with competitors and lower than much of what Wall Street had expected. It hits store shelves Oct. 23.
"For a device that plays such a central role in your life, a larger display would open up entirely new possibilities," Ternus said. "We think the best way to achieve that is with a foldable design."
Ternus said other foldables feel like "two phones awkwardly stuck together." Apple's device is about the size of a passport and features both internal and external screens.
Marketing chief Greg Joswiak said the Duo's outer display covers 90% of the screen area of the iPhone 18 Pro, while the inner display measures 7.6 inches. The phone uses a fingerprint sensor built into the side button for unlocking and has a titanium case.
Craig Federighi, senior vice president of software engineering, said Apple redesigned much of its iOS software to take advantage of the two screens, moving buttons and other controls. Users can multitask with two apps simultaneously and use Apple's stylus, the Pencil.
"We looked at every aspect of iOS to see how we could make it even more useful on iPhone Duo," Federighi said.
C2 Modem Debuts
Apple also unveiled the C2 modem, which will power connectivity inside the folding iPhone Duo. It is the second-generation modem Apple has made in-house, further reducing reliance on cellular modem leader Qualcomm.
"With our fully integrated approach, it's optimized to improve everyday user experiences, including using AI algorithms to improve cellular reliability, like reconnecting faster in low coverage areas," said Johny Srouji, Apple's chief hardware officer, in the keynote video.
According to Srouji, the C2 is 50% faster than Apple's previous modem and adds 5Gmm support in the U.S. while running at 15% lower energy. Chip analyst Ben Bajarin told CNBC that Apple will likely eliminate Qualcomm chips altogether in next year's iPhone 19 line.
Price Hikes Across Product Line
Customers face premium prices for Apple's latest devices. The iPhone 18 Pro and Max carry a $100 hike over last year's models. The company also raised prices on Macs and iPads over the summer as memory and storage costs soared.
Markets Unimpressed
Apple's new introductions, including Siri AI and the iPhone Duo, failed to impress markets. For almost the entire duration of the nearly 80-minute presentation, the company's stock price was down. Opening at $315.49, it briefly popped to $318 before quickly dropping.
What You Need to Know
- Apple's first foldable iPhone starts at $1,999
- The foldable iPhone Duo features a 7.6-inch inner display and titanium case
- Apple Watch is listening to your conversations
- More details on the A20 Pro chip
- iPhone 18 Pro buyers will pay $100 more than last year
- AI image check with Apple Reference Image
- The first product launch was the iPhone 18 Pro and Max in new colors
- Ternus says the iPhone is the best device for AI
