Apple today introduced its first foldable device, the iPhone Duo, at its Surprise and Shine event held in Cupertino. The phone is the first marquee device launched under the company’s new CEO, John Ternus.
Unlike the old design of the folding screen, which looks like a vertical screen, Apple has adopted a wider format that helps in better aspect ratio while watching videos when the device is exposed.
The exposed display is a 7.6-inch Retina display, and the external display is 5.4 inches. The company says the new device is “inspired by the versatility of the iPad” and shows how people can use it in portrait mode. The internal display also has an “under-display” camera that can give users a sense of the entire screen.
Apple says it uses a custom nanotexture finish to hide scratches and reduce glare. Most of the folds still have visible cracks, but the company likes it Oppo The transition to the phone is almost seamless. The company claims that its hinge is made using grade 5 aluminum and more than 100 special components for smooth and durable opening and closing.
In particular, the device only has Touch ID, with Face ID missing. You can unlock the device using Apple Watch, though.
The device is powered by the new A20 Pro chip and C2 model, which allows for faster uploads. Just like last year’s iPhone Air, this particular model is eSIM only.
On the battery front, the company says that with the internal display, users can get 31 hours of video playback, and with the external display, 44 hours of video playback.
The phone has a 48-megapixel fusion primary camera and a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera with 2x optical zoom. This dual camera setup skips the telephoto camera. Like other foldables, users can take selfies with the rear camera and view previews on the external display. It also has a Google Pixel-like feature that plays animations on an external display, which is useful when you’re trying to keep kids focused while taking pictures. There’s also a Smart Photo feature that uses the model on the device and takes photos when all subjects in the frame are positioned.
The company has made iOS 27 adaptable to the new folding model – important controls such as Wi-Fi move to the side and the dock on the home screen in vertical orientation. Users can use apps to share the screen and also match apps. If someone uses the phone vertically, they can pin videos on the top and use other apps on the bottom half. One of the interesting features is that users will be able to use the iPhone half folded or even placed on the table. Apple notes that later this year, the device will support the Apple Pencil.
The iPhone Duo costs $1,999 with 256GB of storage and comes in two colors. Pre-orders for Apple’s new foldable will begin on October 16, and the device will be available on October 23.
Competitors such as Samsung and Xiaomi have launched foldable models before Apple.
According to the company’s analysis The opposite pointFoldables contribute to less than 2% of shipments in the overall smartphone market. However, Apple’s new phone may be an immediate hit, as analysts say Duo could capture a market share of up to 25% by the end of the year.
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