Just as the rumors suggested, Apple is officially entering the foldable phone arena this year with its first foldable iPhone. But the product isn’t called the iPhone Fold or iPhone Ultra as rumored — it’s the “iPhone Duo.” When closed, it’s about the size of a passport; when opened, it becomes a pocket device with a 7.6-inch inner display capable of running two apps side by side for multitasking. Apple hasn’t positioned it as two iPhones joined together, but rather as a device with everything reworked from the ground up — from the iOS 27 interface and app multitasking to the camera and standby mode.
Apple officially launches foldable phone iPhone Duo
When closed, the iPhone Duo is about the size of a passport and can still be operated with one hand. The asymmetrical body is paired with two rounded corners, and the design intentionally guides users to open the phone. The outer display measures 5.4 inches, with an area roughly 90% of the iPhone 18 Pro’s screen. Touch ID is integrated into the side button, positioned right under the thumb. Users can register fingerprints from multiple fingers and can also unlock it via Apple Watch.
When unfolded, the two side bezels join together to become a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR inner display. The 7.6-inch inner screen has 50% more area than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and 80% more than the iPhone 18 Pro. The inner and outer displays use the same aspect ratio, so when users switch from the outer screen to the inner screen, content and controls continue the existing layout, then expand proportionally to the larger screen:
Support for the USB-C Apple Pencil lets users take notes, sketch, or annotate documents on both the inner and outer displays, but this feature won’t be available until later this year:
The device frame is made of aerospace-grade titanium, using Grade 5 titanium material. The front features a Ceramic Shield 2 panel, while the back uses Ceramic Shield, with IP68 dust and water resistance. The internal structure incorporates reinforced ribs, and the antenna locations use ceramic fiber inserts, which Apple claims are 3 times stronger than Grade 5 titanium.
As for the central crease and inner screen durability, which are the most closely scrutinized aspects of foldable phones, the iPhone Duo employs a specially engineered nano-textured surface designed to reduce glare and light reflection, delivering a flatter matte visual effect. This nano-texture is produced using maskless laser lithography, where each microlens is formed directly on a pixel-by-pixel basis:
Below is a multi-layer laminated structure, featuring a specially formulated polymer top layer that is 40% more rigid than other materials in the industry, an Apple-designed scratch-resistant coating, high-strength glass above and below the OLED panel, a viscoelastic adhesive that allows the layers to slide relative to one another like the pages of a book when folded, and a titanium metal plate at the very bottom:
The bearing consists of over 100 tiny precision parts, paired with a carbon fiber support plate and a variable torque mechanism, allowing the phone to precisely control the opening and closing angle. During manufacturing, Apple also uses AI algorithms to match each bearing with the most suitable bearing cover, then uses confocal laser scanning to inspect surface variations, and 3D prints up to 25 layers of photopolymer resin micro-layers to smooth out residual ripples.
To accommodate the wider inner screen, the built-in iOS 27 also moves necessary controls to the sides, giving portrait content more vertical space. The Dock is rearranged vertically, and status bar information is tucked into the screen corners. When you open the phone from the outer screen, the software smoothly extends to the inner screen, with controls remaining in the same side positions:
Just like on iPad, the large screen can display two home screen pages at the same time, and you can also view your inbox and messages together. For example, you can place two apps side by side, or open a second window for the same app, such as opening two Safari windows to compare prices. Tap the divider in the middle, and you can save two frequently used apps as a paired set, then quickly bring them back later. When using the device in portrait orientation, you can pin a video to the upper half while continuing to use other apps below.
The built-in sensors on iPhone Duo detect the angle of both sides and the device’s orientation—for example, when you set the phone on a table, you can use the external screen to binge-watch shows. When it’s half-open, iOS automatically avoids the folded area where touch input is inconvenient. Standby mode has also been redesigned; even without plugging in a charger, just setting Duo down displays the weather, calendar, music, and notifications—and it can even turn into a bedside clock.
Like the iPhone 18 Pro, it’s powered by the A20 Pro, and the Duo version uses a new display engine to drive both the inner and outer screens simultaneously, handling switching between the two displays while also accommodating the special pixel arrangement in the FaceTime camera area beneath the inner screen.
The cooling system uses a direct-die contact design, allowing the A20 Pro to quickly unleash on-device AI performance. Apple claims that the iPhone Duo delivers up to 35% higher sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro.
The iPhone Duo also features Apple’s latest C2 cellular modem, with updates to the baseband, transceiver, power management, firmware, and software, all designed end-to-end alongside the A20 Pro and iOS 27. Apple says the C2 uses AI algorithms to improve cellular network stability, allowing for faster connection recovery in weak-signal environments.
C2 offers up to 50% faster upload speeds than C1X, while power consumption is reduced by 15%. US models support 5G mmWave. Apple also confirmed that all iPhone Duo models sold globally support only eSIM and will not include a physical SIM card slot.
There is one high-energy battery on each side, with a custom chip and algorithm coordinating charging, discharging, and charge balancing, so when in use it acts like a single battery:
When playing video on the 7.6-inch inner screen, battery life lasts up to 31 hours. Switch to the 5.4-inch outer screen, and it lasts up to 44 hours. Apple also calculated using a new daily battery model, resulting in up to 24 hours of use on a full charge with a typical mix of inner and outer screen usage.
With fast charging, about 20 minutes can charge up to 50%; after 5 minutes of charging, you can play videos on the external screen for up to 5 hours.
iPhone Duo features a 48MP Fusion main camera with zero shutter lag, 2x optical-quality telephoto, a large sensor, a wide aperture, and sensor-shift optical image stabilization. The main camera supports up to 4K 120 fps video recording.
48MP Fusion ultra-wide camera, same as the iPhone 18 Pro:
The Center Stage front camera is 12 megapixels, so you can take selfies in landscape orientation without having to turn your phone. The FaceTime camera is hidden beneath the inner display, allowing for hands-free video calls whether the phone is fully open or propped half-open on a table.
The built-in two-way simultaneous shot feature lets you share front and rear camera views at the same time, which also gives iPhone Duo many uses, such as when making a FaceTime call, the other person can see both you and what’s in front of you at the same time:
When you take photos for someone else, you can let them see the screen in real time, so you won’t have to worry about your partner complaining that your photos are terrible (laughs).
Even to the point of being on their phone on one side while letting the child watch cartoons on the other:
Speakers at both the top and bottom of the device deliver spatial audio whether used in portrait, landscape, or half-open mode. A dedicated tuning algorithm also adjusts the audio output based on the changes in speaker distance caused by the opening angle:
Available in two color options: Starlight White and Night Sky.
iPhone Duo will open for pre-order at 8 PM on October 16, and will go on sale on October 23. Below are the Taiwan prices:
- 256GB – NT$74,900
- 512GB – NT$81,900
- 1TB – NT$96,900
- 2TB – NT$118,900
imos combines international certification with design aesthetics. Setting a new benchmark for phone accessory protection!
Break the market impression that imos phone cases are only for “rigid protection needs,” carrying forward the brand’s core philosophy of quality and protection—so that protection is not just a function, but part of a lifestyle.Introducing the new Magnetic AuraShield™, combining high-grade protection, magnetic functionality, and refined design to redefine what a phone case can do.
Combining “AR無影膜™” with sapphire lens protectors, it delivers a complete protection experience for the body, screen, and camera—built on the authority of UL certification, bringing high-grade defense into everyday aesthetics.
-
Imos for iPhone 18: Full Product LineupClick here to purchase
Even if you switch to the latest iPhone18, scams won’t automatically disappear.
New iPhone security gets more comprehensive every year, but many scams nowadays don’t even directly attack the phone—instead, they try to get you to click the link yourself.Fake Apple account alerts, insufficient iCloud storage, credit card payment failures, convenience store package redelivery… Once you enter a fraudulent website and input your account, password, or credit card details, even the newest phone cannot tell you whether the other party is a scammer.
Besides your own phone, don’t forget your parents at home who use iPhones and iPads. You can install Trend Micro Mobile Security for them to help filter suspicious text messages, check malicious and fraudulent URLs, and provide an extra layer of security confirmation when they encounter unfamiliar QR codes or suspicious links.You can upgrade to the latest phone, but your anti-fraud awareness needs to be upgraded too.
- Trend Micro Mobile Security:Download now
Source: KOCPC Chinese