Apple has redefined its flagship smartphone with the launch of the Duo, an iPhone, betting its design and promises of data privacy will let it leap ahead of rivals who have been selling folding phones for years.
The Duo is sized and shaped like a passport, with rounded edges. It opens into a horizontal, 7.6-inch-diagonal (19 cm) screen that also can be viewed vertically, said the company in a statement.
There is a smaller single screen on the front, when the phone is folded. When open, it is Apple’s thinnest phone. However, it is thicker than folding phones offered by Chinese rivals.
The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999, rising to $3,199 for the highest configuration. In the UAE, prices range from AED8,499 to AED13,599, with pre-orders opening on October 16 and availability beginning on October 23. The UAE is included in the first wave of launch markets.
Apple’s biggest iPhone redesign in a decade has given investors a new hardware story, but the real test will be whether its first foldable device can attract consumers at scale while protecting margins and advancing its artificial intelligence ambitions, according to Josh Gilbert, Lead Analyst, APAC & Middle East at etoro.
The launch marked John Ternus’ first major product showcase as Apple's new CEO. Shares swung during the event before finishing broadly flat, a response Gilbert views as relatively encouraging following a roughly 40% rise over the past 12 months.
“Investors had already bought into the foldable story, so finishing practically flat is a fairly decent result given recent history,” said Gilbert. “Ternus has come through his first big test, and the initial market reaction suggests investors are receptive to what Apple’s longstanding hardware leader has delivered.”
Ternus said the Duo was designed to deliver an iPad-like experience in a pocket-sized device through a custom hinge, dual displays with a consistent aspect ratio, and a new titanium body.
"It’s entirely new and at the same time remarkably familiar. A similar size to your passport, it feels familiar to hold and comfortable to use with one hand," stated Ternus.
Apple said the iPhone Duo, available from October 23, will feature the A20 Pro chip to drive its displays and also a new C2 modem chip designed by Apple, part of its move away from Qualcomm’s wireless data chips. Its battery supports 24 hours of mixed dual-screen use and can charge to 50% in about 20 minutes.
Analyst firm IDC expects Apple will sell every foldable iPhone it can produce and secure 40% share of the lucrative niche by the end of next year.
Gilbert in his review said monthly leasing could help lower the upfront barrier to purchase, but the device’s commercial success will depend on demand beyond Apple’s most devoted customers.
“The challenge for Ternus is persuading consumers to spend that money on a new device at scale,” he said. “For the Duo to make a meaningful contribution, it needs to ship in volume. A place in the product line-up alone will not be enough,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service