Apple has entered the foldable smartphone market with the launch of the iPhone Duo, its first iPhone with a folding display, marking one of the company's biggest hardware changes in years.

Apple unveiled the device on September 9 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, bringing a new design to its flagship smartphone lineup as manufacturers compete for growth in an increasingly mature premium-phone market.

The iPhone Duo opens to a 7.6-inch display and has a 5.4-inch outer screen when closed. Apple designed the device with a new precision hinge and a thin foldable structure intended to provide a larger screen while maintaining a pocket-sized design.

The phone is powered by Apple's A20 Pro chip, the same processor used in the new iPhone 18 Pro models. Apple says the chip is designed to improve performance, battery efficiency and on-device artificial intelligence capabilities.

A Major Change for Apple

Apple's entry into the foldable market comes years after competitors such as Samsung and Huawei introduced their own folding smartphones.

Foldable phones have remained a relatively small portion of the overall smartphone market because of their higher prices and engineering challenges, including durability, battery life and display creases. Apple's late entry gives the company the opportunity to use technology that has matured since the first generation of foldable phones.

The iPhone Duo is priced at $1,999, placing it firmly in the premium segment. Preorders begin October 16, with availability starting October 23.

Analysts expect Apple's entry to significantly increase interest in foldable smartphones, potentially pushing the category further into the mainstream.

AI Becomes Part of the Upgrade

Apple is also using the new iPhone generation to strengthen its artificial intelligence strategy.

The A20 Pro includes a new dual 16-core Neural Engine designed to improve on-device AI processing. Apple's updated Siri AI is also being integrated into its latest devices, with the company emphasizing privacy and processing more AI functions directly on the device.

The move is important as Apple faces growing competition from companies such as Google, Samsung and OpenAI in consumer artificial intelligence.

For Apple, the foldable iPhone is therefore more than a new form factor. It combines a major hardware redesign with the company's broader effort to make AI a central part of the iPhone experience.

Pressure on the Smartphone Market

Apple's move comes as smartphone manufacturers look for new ways to encourage consumers to upgrade.

The traditional smartphone design has changed relatively little in recent years, making it harder for manufacturers to generate excitement with incremental improvements. Foldable devices offer companies a way to introduce a fundamentally different form factor.

Apple's entry could give the foldable market its biggest boost yet.

Samsung currently leads the category, while Chinese manufacturers including Huawei have also invested heavily in foldable technology. Apple's enormous global customer base could bring foldable phones to consumers who have previously avoided the category.

The launch also gives Apple a new premium product at a time when the broader smartphone market is becoming increasingly competitive.

With the iPhone Duo, Apple is betting that consumers will pay a significant premium for a larger, more flexible screen combined with the company's ecosystem and software.

The success of the device could determine whether foldable smartphones remain a niche luxury product or become the next major evolution of the smartphone market.