Apple has unveiled its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, marking the company’s entry into a device category pioneered by Samsung seven years ago.
The iPhone Duo was introduced on Wednesday at Apple’s first launch event since CEO John Ternus took over the company’s leadership on September 1. Apple expects the device to compete strongly in the growing foldable smartphone market.
“Others have created foldables that just feel like two phones awkwardly stuck together,” Ternus said in a video presentation shown at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California.
Apple, he said, wanted to create a device with a large display “that feels as natural and intuitive as (the) iPad.”
The design combines the portability of a smartphone with the larger screen of a tablet, allowing users to access a bigger display without having to carry a tablet-sized device.
Roughly the size and shape of a passport when folded, the iPhone Duo is built with titanium and features a 7.6-inch (19-centimeter) internal display and a 5.4-inch (14-centimeter) external display.
The device will be available in two colours, “star white” and “night sky.”
Apple said the Duo will go on sale in 70 countries from October 23.
The company also highlighted the smartphone’s camera system, which includes a front-facing external lens, two rear cameras and an internal lens. The cameras can be used simultaneously when the device is fully unfolded.
The iPhone Duo will start at $1,999, making it slightly more expensive than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8, which has a starting price of about $1,899.
Apple also announced a new monthly leasing programme called Apple Upgrade, allowing customers to spread payments for the device over one or two years.
Samsung introduced the Galaxy Fold, the industry’s first mainstream foldable smartphone, in 2019.
Although foldable smartphones still account for less than two per cent of global smartphone shipments, Apple is expected to capture about one-third of demand with its entry into the market, according to research firm IDC.
“Apple’s foldable iPhone is very likely to shift the competitive dynamics both in China and global markets,” IDC research associate Kiranjeet Kaur told AFP.
Source: AFP
