The iPhone Duo, Apple’s first foldable phone, is a hot ticket.
Preorders for the iPhone Duo began on Friday at 5 a.m. PT, on Apple’s website, the Apple Store app and elsewhere. Although the phone has an Oct. 23 release date, as of now models preordered through Apple won’t ship until the last week of January. The availability at mobile carriers like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile is more variable. You can also try to buy one in stores on Oct. 23.
CNET Senior Tech Reporter Abrar Al Heeti got to handle the iPhone Duo briefly ahead of preorders, and described it as essentially a compact iPhone that can double as an iPad Mini, well suited for consuming media. Beyond that, she wrote, “It has a satisfying feel and really makes the crease virtually disappear when the screen is on.”
The 7.6-inch screen when opened is the largest iPhone display screen yet (there’s also a 5.4-inch outer display). The Duo is also equipped with two 48-megapixel cameras: a main camera and an ultrawide one. It’s geared for multitasking, with Apple Pencil support and drag-and-drop functionality similar to an iPad.
The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999, but trade-in offers and Apple’s Upgrade program could lower how much you pay out of pocket.
Apple is years late to the folding phone market, though that might not matter much to those already in the iPhone ecosystem. The bigger question is whether the iPhone Duo will be tempting to those inclined to buy Android phones, where the latest hinged options include the Samsung Galaxy Fold 8 and Galaxy Flip 8 and the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold.
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