Technology

Apple Debuts First Foldable iPhone at £1,999 Under New Leadership

By Today News Hours Editorial Desk

Apple has unveiled its most expensive iPhone to date, a foldable device called the iPhone Duo, marking the company's first major design overhaul in nearly two decades. The launch represents a significant gamble for John Ternus, who took over as Apple's chief executive this month from longtime leader Tim Cook.

With the foldable market already dominated by rivals such as Samsung and Huawei, Apple enters relatively late. Speaking at the company's California headquarters, Ternus said competitors' foldables "just feel like two phones awkwardly stuck together," claiming Apple's version would "redefine the experience of using a foldable phone."

In the United States, the iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 and can cost as much as $3,200, compared with a previous high of $900 for past iPhone models. Development took eight years, a project Ternus was closely involved in during his time leading Apple's hardware division. The device resembles a small iPad when unfolded and a wider iPhone when folded, with Ternus describing it as similar in size to a passport and comfortable for one-handed use.

Analysts say Apple faces stiff competition, particularly in China, where Huawei controls nearly 80% of the foldable market, according to Francisco Jeronimo of IDC EMEA. Ben Wood of CCS Insight suggested Ternus's promotion was deliberately timed to align with the launch, saying, "Nothing happens by accident at Apple." Carolina Milanesi of Creative Strategies, who attended the event, noted that the attention on Ternus made him feel "almost like a product himself."

The redesign comes as some critics argue Apple has lacked a major innovation since the original iPhone debuted in 2007. Forrester analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee warned the foldable "risks becoming a premium-priced ornament in the portfolio, imparting badge value but not meaningful growth," comparing its uncertain prospects to Apple's Vision Pro headset, priced at $3,699 and not widely adopted, or alternatively to the more successful Apple Watch.

Apple also introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, priced from $1,199 and $1,299 respectively in the US. Milanesi noted that foldable devices require a learning curve for consumers accustomed to traditional smartphones. Wood pointed out that foldables currently make up just 2% of smartphone sales globally, with CCS Insight projecting that figure to reach only 4% within the next decade, even accounting for Apple's entry.

The iPhone remains Apple's top-selling product, generating more than half of the company's annual revenue, with recent versions reportedly achieving record demand.

Separately, Apple detailed upcoming updates to its voice assistant, now rebranded as Siri AI. Beginning with the iPhone 18, Siri AI will be able to access a user's messages and emails to answer questions and perform tasks. Some of these features will also extend to the Apple Watch, including real-time note-taking and conversation transcription.

Ternus described the new AI capabilities as an "intelligent personal hub," acknowledging that the system would handle "the most private details of your daily life." He emphasized that most processing would occur directly on users' devices rather than through third parties, and that any necessary cloud-based processing would remain private. "Others see that data as something to collect and store," Ternus said. "Here, not even Apple can access what's yours."