First folding iPhone has Apple’s ‘largest ever display’

Apple has entered the highly competitive foldable phone market with the launch of a new US$1,999 iPhone Duo, a device that features a foldable design and rounded passport-shaped design. The company hopes that this new product will shake up the current market dominated by Samsung and Huawei, whose devices have not been able to gain widespread popularity.

Analysts believe that Apple's entry into the foldable phone market could help bring the technology into the mainstream, similar to how the company previously revolutionized smartwatches and wireless earbuds.

The iPhone Duo is shaped and sized like a passport, with a 19-cm diagonal screen that can be viewed either horizontally or vertically. When folded, it has a smaller screen similar in size to a passport, and when opened, it is the company's thinnest phone, with a new titanium body. The device promises to offer a unique user experience, with a custom hinge and dual displays that provide a consistent aspect ratio. Users will be able to run two apps simultaneously on the larger display, making it ideal for productivity tasks.

At its launch event, Apple's new CEO John Ternus criticized existing foldable devices as awkward and poorly designed, stating that the Duo is designed to deliver an iPad-like experience in a pocket-sized device. The company's A20 Pro chip, along with a new C2 modem chip designed by Apple, will power the device, which also features a battery that supports up to 24 hours of mixed dual-screen use and can charge to 50% in just 20 minutes.

Apple positioned the iPhone Duo as a business productivity device, showcasing its ability to handle multiple tasks such as Zoom calls and the Slack messaging app. The larger screen will support multiple app windows at once, a feature aimed at enhancing productivity. The device will be available for purchase starting October 23 and comes with a price tag of US$2,000, setting a new high for Apple's flagship products.