Foldable iPhone Duo emerged thanks to Tim Cook and will cost from $2000
Apple CEO Tim Cook played a key role in the emergence of the first foldable iPhone. The company had been studying flexible displays and foldable devices long before that, but it was only after Cook’s trip to Asia in 2020 that the project received priority.
Before Cook’s intervention, Apple engineers considered other form factors. One early concept was a foldable iPad mini that would become a larger tablet when unfolded.
Cook insisted on a foldable iPhone
During trips to China and other Asian countries, Cook noticed the growing popularity of foldable smartphones from Samsung, Huawei, and other manufacturers. Upon returning, he concluded that Apple also needed such a product and urged hardware divisions to accelerate development.
Bloomberg sources name Cook as one of the first and most active proponents of a foldable iPhone within the company. For a leader who typically focused on finance, manufacturing, and supply chains and rarely participated directly in creating new device categories, such involvement was atypical.
Later, one of the project’s main supporters became Jon Ternes, who at the time led Apple’s hardware division. The project itself originated under his predecessor, Dan Riccio. Inside the company, the foldable smartphone was known by the codename V68.
Nearly a decade of development
Key engineering challenges included reducing the visibility of the display crease, improving hinge reliability, developing flexible protective glass, and positioning part of the camera components behind the screen.
In Apple’s final design, according to Bloomberg, a hinge made of titanium and aluminum was used along with special protective glass developed in collaboration with Corning. The company expects the crease on the internal display to be less visible than on existing foldable smartphones.
By around 2023, Apple settled on a short and wide clamshell form factor. When folded, the device resembles a passport in proportion; when unfolded, it looks like a Magic Trackpad.
The internal screen has a diagonal of approximately 7.8 inches, and the external one is 5.5 inches. The wide main display is designed to support multitasking with multiple applications simultaneously. Apple has also adapted its own apps and iOS for different screen sizes.
Name, specifications, and price
In the latest report ahead of the presentation, Mark Gurman stated that the foldable smartphone may be released under the name iPhone Duo. Previously, inside Apple and in leaks, the device was often referred to as iPhone Ultra.
Expected are the A20 Pro processor, Apple C2 modem, two 48-MP main cameras, and a 12-MP front camera. Support for Apple Pencil is also reported.
The base model with a 256 GB storage, according to the latest Bloomberg reports, will cost around $2000. The top configuration with 2 TB may approach $3000. Previously, Apple considered a starting price of $2199 due to rising memory costs, but the company likely decided to absorb some of the additional expenses itself to keep the initial price near the $2000 mark.
White and dark blue colors are expected. Sales may begin in October.
At the same time, a foldable design will require compromises. Bloomberg reports that the model may lag behind standard flagship iPhones in battery life, camera performance, and overall chassis durability.
Official specifications, names, and prices are expected to be revealed by Apple at its September 9 event.
