{
  "id": 6459575,
  "title": "Apple’s first foldable iPhone opens to 7.6 inches and starts at Dh8,499 in UAE",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/apples-first-foldable-iphone-opens-to-7-6-inches-and-starts-at-dh8",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-09T18:38:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/business/retail/apples-first-foldable-iphone-opens-to-76-inches-and-starts-at-dh8499-in-uae-1.500669032"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Apple has introduced its inaugural foldable iPhone, dubbed the iPhone Duo, boasting a 7.6-inch display and an introductory price of Dh8,499 in the UAE. Pre-orders commence on October 16, with the device reaching customers on October 23. Consumers can select between star white and night sky color options. Compact, the iPhone Duo features a 5.4-inch exterior screen displaying 90% of the screen area of the iPhone 18 Pro. Upon opening, the 7.6-inch inner screen is 50% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, granting users enhanced space for multimedia consumption, gaming, and multitasking. Both screens maintain the same aspect ratio, incorporate ProMotion, Always On, and peak outdoor brightness of 3,000 nits.\n\nEngineered with a hinge comprising over 100 components, the iPhone Duo's body is constructed from grade 5 titanium. The rear sports Ceramic Shield, while the front features Ceramic Shield 2, offering three times better scratch resistance than its predecessor. An IP68 rating for splash, water, and dust resistance is also a highlight. A nano-texture finish on the inner display mitigates glare and reflections, obscuring the crease. Additional support is provided by high-strength glass above and below the panel, a scratch-resistant coating, and a titanium plate.\n\nApple has adapted iOS 27 for the folding design, introducing Split View that enables two apps to operate side by side for the first time. Users can switch between apps, open multiple windows of the same app, and save pairs of apps for later access. When opened, two Home Screen pages and Today View can simultaneously appear. Netflix, Zoom, and Slack are among third-party apps already modified for the folding format. The Dynamic Island has been redesigned to run vertically along the display, while controls, the Dock, and app navigation are relocated to the side to maximize vertical space for content. Apple Pencil with USB-C compatibility is slated for release later this year, facilitating note-taking, sketching, and document annotation across both displays.\n\nThe camera system comprises three 48MP cameras: a 48MP Fusion Main camera capable of capturing images at up to 48MP, a 2x optical-quality Telephoto lens integrated within the Main camera, and a second 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera for wider shots and macro photography. The folding design facilitates selfies using the rear cameras while utilizing the outer display for framing previews. Duo Preview provides a live camera view on the outer screen for subjects being photographed, while Smart Take automatically captures photographs using on-device AI models when subjects are posing. Kid Cue displays Peanuts animations on the outer screen to attract a child's attention, and Duo FaceTime allows individuals beside the user to join video calls through the outer screen. The Main camera supports 4K video at 120 frames per second in Dolby Vision, with Cinematic effects available post-recording at up to 60 frames per second.\n\nAvailable in two refined colors — star white and night sky — the iPhone Duo is crafted from grade 5 titanium polished to a mirror finish. It offers up to 44 hours of video playback on a single battery, with the phone providing up to 31 hours of video playback using the inner display and up to 44 hours using the outer display. Users can achieve up to 24 hours of usage per charge when both displays are utilized equally. Wired charging can replenish the battery to 50% within 20 minutes, while MagSafe or Qi2 wireless charging can reach 50% within 30 minutes. The iPhone Duo utilizes an eSIM-only design compatible with more than 500 carriers, including e& and du. Powered by the A20 Pro processor, the same as in the iPhone 18 Pro models, coupled with a custom vapor chamber for thermal management, the device delivers up to 35% better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro. With a six-core CPU up to 20% faster than A19 Pro, a seven-core GPU up to 40% faster and more power-efficient, and a Dual 16-core Neural Engine offering twice the compute power for on-device AI models, the iPhone Duo also includes Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread through Apple’s N1 wireless networking chip, and a C2 cellular modem system.",
  "summary": "Dubai, UAE: Apple has unveiled its first foldable iPhone, with the new iPhone Duo opening into a 7.6-inch display and carrying a starting price of Dh8,499 in the UAE. Pre-orders will open on Friday, October 16, with the phone reaching customers and stores on Friday, October 23. Buyers will be able to choose between star white and…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 10,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "Apple’s first foldable iPhone opens to 7.6 inches and starts at Dh8,499 in UAE",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/apples-first-foldable-iphone-opens-to-7-6-inches-and-starts-at-dh8-6467041",
        "published": "2026-09-09T18:38:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News (US)",
        "title": "Apple announces first-ever foldable iPhone, starting at $1,999",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/apple-announces-first-ever-foldable-iphone-starting-at-1-999",
        "published": "2026-09-09T18:38:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC News",
        "title": "Apple's new boss starts with big gamble on costly first folding iPhone",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/apples-new-boss-starts-with-big-gamble-on-costly-first-folding-iphone",
        "published": "2026-09-09T18:39:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "9to5Google",
        "title": "Apple’s iPhone Duo foldable has the same IP68 protection as Pixel Fold – temporary",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/apples-iphone-duo-foldable-has-the-same-ip68-protection-as-pixel-fold",
        "published": "2026-09-09T19:05:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Apple unveils RM8,134 passport-shaped foldable iPhone Duo [WATCH]",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/apple-unveils-rm8-134-passport-shaped-foldable-iphone-duo-watch",
        "published": "2026-09-09T19:10:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Techmeme",
        "title": "iPhone Duo supports Apple Pencil and comes with iOS redesigned for multitasking on different screen sizes/orientations, with auto-adjusting controls and apps (Terrence O'Brien/The Verge)",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/iphone-duo-supports-apple-pencil-and-comes-with-ios-redesigned-for",
        "published": "2026-09-09T19:16:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Le Monde English",
        "title": "Apple unveils iPhone Duo, its first foldable smartphone",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/apple-unveils-iphone-duo-its-first-foldable-smartphone",
        "published": "2026-09-09T19:36:52.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "TechCrunch",
        "title": "Everything Apple announced at its fall iPhone event, from the foldable iPhone Duo to an always-listening Apple Watch",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/everything-apple-announced-at-its-fall-iphone-event-from-the-foldable",
        "published": "2026-09-09T20:03:43.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Apple unveils iPhone Duo, its first foldable smartphone",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/apple-unveils-iphone-duo-its-first-foldable-smartphone-6482105",
        "published": "2026-09-09T21:18:11.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}