Apple presented its iPhone Duo, the first foldable smartphone model to arrive in Cupertino. The cost varies from 2,369 euros for the 256 GB model to 3,869 euros for the 2 TB one.
iPhone Duo is the first foldable smartphone produced by Apple. Rumors have been talking about a foldable launched in Cupertino for years, at least since in February 2019 the eternal rival Samsung presented its first Galaxy Fold, practically a prototype. Two screens: one external from 4.6 inches and an internal one from 7.3 inches. The first folding screen installed in a device designed for mass production. We had just seen some experiments before. Yet it was a device full of problems. Fragile, with the crease of the screen evident and also a little uncomfortable to keep in your pocket: the two parts of the screen did not close completely, always leaving a thickness near the hinge. Price already high: around 2,000 euros.
Seven years later, the technology behind foldable smartphones has changed a lot. Samsung continued to present one model per year. They have become increasingly thinner, the hinge that joins the two parts is increasingly precise, the internal screen increasingly clearer and the crease less and less evident. Already the Fold7, launched in 2025, was a device that had overcome all the problems of the foldables. Once closed he was often alone 8.82 millimeters. iPhone Duo is a device that has collected the entire history of foldables. Including the form factor: when closed it is more square than a normal iPhone, the same shape as the Fold8 also presented by Samsung at the end of July. Other competitors have also launched similar models. It’s difficult to say who copied and who innovated.
Once closed iPhone Duo is often 11.3mmfrom open comes to 5.2mmmaking it the thinnest iPhone ever. The internal screen is matte, the hinge mechanism is extremely precise. In this way, once opened, the fold is practically invisible. Or at least, this is the impression we got when watching videos released by those who were able to hold the device in their hands. Note of merit foropening animationperhaps the best we’ve seen so far in a foldable smartphone. However, there is a problem: the price. These devices are expensive to produce. The basic model with 256 GB internal memory costs 2,369 eurosthe one with 2TB internal storage goes up to 3,869 euros.
We found the iPhone 18 Ultra mockup, the leaflet that Apple must present soon: the covers
The foldable smartphone market: how much the models sell for
Of course, the innovation is remarkable. There is no shortage of proposals on the market, yet the market percentage occupied by foldable smartphones has never moved from the niche. Research released by Counterpoint explains that this year the total number of foldable smartphones sold since 2019 is expected to reach 100 million. 2019 was chosen as the starting date for Samsung’s Fold. Apple’s arrival plays a role, clearly: “Apple’s entry into the market and increased demand for large foldable devices from Samsung and Huawei are expected to further boost demand for foldable smartphones, with global shipments set to grow 37% year-on-year in 2027.”
Despite the increase, we are still talking about a very small share of the global smartphone market. Figures that vary depending on estimates but always fluctuate below 2%. If the number of foldable smartphones sold since 2019 is around 100 millioncount that they were sold only in 2025 1.25 billion smartphones. In any case, again according to Counterpoint, with its Duo Apple will eat up a nice slice of the market: Apple should conquer the 25%Samsung get to 38%Huawei al 22%Motorola al 6% and then Honor al 3%.
