Apple apparently looked at Samsung’s foldable playbook and decided to undercut it. The foldable iPhone, expected to be announced today, will reportedly be called the iPhone Duo and start at $2,000, according to Engadget, citing Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. That’s not cheap. But several analysts had predicted a $2,500 starting price, so Apple is already playing expectations games before the thing even hits shelves.
The name “Duo” is an interesting choice. Apple used it for a line of notebooks back in 1995, and Microsoft borrowed it for a Surface device more recently. It’s not “Fold” or “Ultra” like many expected, which tells you Apple wants to position this as something distinct rather than a direct response to Samsung. Whether that framing works is another question entirely.
On specs, the Duo looks genuinely well-equipped. Here’s what Gurman says to expect:
- Apple’s new A20 Pro chip and C2 modem
- Dual 48-megapixel rear cameras and a 12MP front camera
- Apple Pencil support
- A magnetic hinge system
- Side-by-side multitasking with a wide, landscape-oriented display
- Available in dark blue and white
That landscape fold design puts it squarely in competition with the Samsung Galaxy Fold 8. Apple is clearly targeting the same use case: prop it up, watch video, run two apps at once. The Apple Pencil support is the wildcard here. If Apple actually makes stylus input feel natural on a folding screen, that’s something Samsung has never quite nailed. Big if, though.
Pricing scales up significantly depending on storage. The base 256GB model starts at $2,000, but a fully loaded 2TB version will reportedly run close to $3,000. Gurman says Apple trimmed its profit margin to hit that lower starting price and drive demand. That’s a meaningful signal. Apple doesn’t cut margins for fun. They want volume on this one, not just trophy sales to early adopters.
Foldables have been stuck in a weird spot for years. The tech works, the screens have gotten better, but mass adoption never really happened. Part of that is price, part of it is trust. People weren’t sure foldables would last. Apple entering the category carries a different kind of weight. When Apple commits to a form factor, it usually brings the accessories ecosystem, the software support, and the marketing muscle to actually push it into the mainstream. The Duo could do for foldables what the original iPhone did for touchscreens, not invent the concept, but make people actually want it.
The Duo goes on sale sometime in October, shortly after the iPhone 18 hits shelves. And speaking of the 18 Pro and Pro Max, Gurman also notes those will cost $100 more than their predecessors. A modest bump, but still a bump. Apple’s event kicks off at 10AM PT today, so we won’t be waiting long for the full picture.