A new chapter began at Apple on Wednesday as its new chief executive introduced an iPhone that is roughly the size of a passport and folds open. Named the iPhone Duo, the device marks the most significant physical redesign for the iconic smartphone since Apple launched the minimalist glass slab that initiated the smartphone era nearly 20 years ago. The Duo also sets the tone for the beginning of CEO John Ternus’s leadership, making a bold statement regarding hardware and product design. Ternus assumed the role from Tim Cook at the beginning of the month. While Cook earned widespread praise for his business strength—driving a roughly 13-fold increase in Apple’s market capitalization over 15 years—critics often noted that the company’s devices lacked the distinctive “wow factor” seen during the tenure of late visionary leader Steve Jobs, who unveiled the original iPod, iPad, and iPhone. Financial analysts suggest that Ternus, a trained mechanical engineer who spent most of his career on Apple’s product side, might help restore that design edge. Nearly an hour into a livestream showcasing updates to existing lines like AirPods, Ternus used one of Jobs’s signature keynote phrases, telling the audience, “But actually, there is one more thing,” before revealing the foldable phone. He stated that the iPhone Duo delivers a completely new design while maintaining everything users cherish about the iPhone, offering the largest display ever on the device while still fitting comfortably in a pocket through complex yet effortless engineering. Although competitors like Samsung and Huawei have sold folding phones since 2019—early versions of which faced durability challenges—Apple has historically thrived as a market follower by introducing refined, highly polished hardware. The original iPhone debuted more than 20 years after the first cellular phones entered the market. The iPhone Duo functions like a book, featuring a 5.4-inch outer screen when closed and a 7.6-inch internal screen when opened. Starting at $1,999—$700 higher than the entry-level iPhone 18 Pro, which was also revealed on Wednesday—the Duo will hit stores on October 23. Furthermore, Apple framed both the Duo and the 18 Pro as intelligent personal hubs built for onboard artificial intelligence, anchored by an AI-powered Siri assistant slated for a beta release in October.
Source: npr.org
