Apple Reveals Folding iPhone Duo at $1,999

Apple has reportedly been testing folding screens since at least 2021. Ternus, who used to lead Apple's hardware team, said rival folding phones "feel like two phones stuck together", and promised that a series of new ideas would "redefine the experience". Apple has said that an industry-wide shortage of memory chips already forced it to raise MacBook and iPad prices, and analysts at KeyBanc said before the event that the company had to choose between protecting its profits and protecting sales.

Experts disagree about the risk. The iPhone earns more than half of Apple's yearly income, and the previous top model started at $900. Folding phones are still only about 2% of world smartphone sales, and may reach 4% within ten years. The news was widely expected, and Apple's shares fell about 2% afterwards. Apple also showed the iPhone 18 Pro at $1,199, the Pro Max at $1,299, new AirPods from $129, and the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4.