Ternus spent 15 years planning the iPhone Duo

John Ternus, Apple's new CEO, spent 15 years planning the highly anticipated iPhone Duo, a foldable device. Ternus, named Tim Cook's successor in April 2026, had been involved with the project for around 10 years following his initial employment with the company. In an interview with Time magazine, he revealed that he and five fellow engineers filed a patent for foldable devices as early as 2011.

Ternus and his team believed that OLED displays would eventually become flexible, paving the way for the iPhone Duo. However, rivals like Samsung had beaten Apple to market with foldable devices. Ternus, though, remained unfazed, stating that the other examples in the world felt "cheap and crappy." Apple's vice president of product design, Richard Dinh, shared that the company had considered launching a foldable iPhone earlier but decided to wait until they could get it right.

Ternus, known for his insistence on getting designs perfect, emphasized the importance of waiting for the right moment. He believed in the longevity of the iPhone and hardware, expressing that people value physical devices and the unique experiences they provide. As CEO, Ternus must navigate Apple's complex political landscape, including the company's decision to explore processor and memory options from Chinese manufacturers. Despite criticism, Ternus supports this move, citing the memory constraints as a pressing issue.