Apple announces the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone

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The iPhone is getting the biggest change in its nearly 20-year history: a screen that can bend in half.

Apple on Wednesday announced the iPhone Duo, the company’s first foldable smartphone, signaling a major revamp of the company’s most important product. It starts at $1,999 and launches on October 23.

Apple is hardly blazing a new path with the Duo. Phone makers like Samsung , Huawei and Motorola have been selling foldable phones for years, though such devices only account for a sliver of global smartphone sales. Apple’s entry into the market is expected to thrust foldable phones into the spotlight, potentially giving them mainstream appeal beyond their early-adopter audience.

The new device is about the size and shape of a passport, and Apple claims it’s the thinnest iPhone ever when the phone is unfolded.

Apple CEO John Ternus said at a company event that the iPhone Duo “will redefine the experience of using a foldable phone.”

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The launch comes at a crucial moment for the world’s second most valuable company.

The iPhone is Apple’s most profitable product, generating more than half its revenue. But the device has largely remained the same over the past two decades, aside from gaining larger screens, better cameras and more advanced processors. Apple has faced pressure to launch a new hit product after recent efforts like the Apple Vision Pro headset and last year’s iPhone Air failed to resonate with consumers.

The iPhone Duo’s software is an important part of Apple’s approach; the company emphasized how the software will adjust its position depending on how the phone is being used. When the phone is partially folded, for example, it will automatically slide app content to either side of the screen. When it’s propped open and positioned like a tent, the phone can be used as a bedside clock.

Android phone makers like Samsung and Google have launched similar features for their foldable phones.

The Duo’s inside screen is 7.6 inches, which makes it 80% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro’s display. And users will be able to use multiple apps on the display at once.

You can also use both cameras at the same time during FaceTime calls, and the outer display can be used to preview shots.

The Duo’s nuances – including the way the software makes adjustments when the display folds in different positions – could be critical in Apple’s attempt to convince consumers that its newest device isn’t just an iPhone with more screen space.

That approach worked for the iPad and Apple Watch. Apple developed specific software and operating systems for its tablets and smartwatches that prevent them from feeling like enlarged or shrunken-down versions of the iPhone. Doing the same with the iPhone Duo will likely be key to its success.

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iPhone 即将迎来近 20 年历史上最大的变革：屏幕可以对折。

苹果公司周三发布了iPhone Duo，这是该公司首款可折叠智能手机，标志着该公司最重要的产品线迎来重大革新。iPhone Duo起售价为1999美元，将于10月23日上市。

苹果推出的Duo折叠屏手机并非开创先河。三星、华为和摩托罗拉等手机厂商多年来一直在销售折叠屏手机，尽管这类设备在全球智能手机销量中仅占很小一部分。苹果的加入预计将使折叠屏手机成为关注焦点，并有可能使其获得主流市场的青睐，而不仅仅局限于早期用户群体。

这款新设备的大小和形状与护照差不多，苹果公司声称，展开后它是迄今为止最薄的 iPhone。

苹果公司首席执行官约翰·特纳斯在一次公司活动上表示，iPhone Duo“将重新定义使用折叠屏手机的体验”。

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世界即将迎来苹果公司的新任首席执行官。以下是他面临的最大挑战。

此次发布正值全球市值第二高的公司面临关键时刻。

iPhone是苹果公司最赚钱的产品，贡献了超过一半的收入。但除了屏幕更大、摄像头更好、处理器更先进之外，这款设备在过去二十年里基本保持不变。苹果公司近期推出的Apple Vision Pro头戴式显示器和去年的iPhone Air等产品未能引起消费者的共鸣，因此面临着推出一款新的爆款产品的压力。

iPhone Duo 的软件是苹果设计理念的重要组成部分；该公司强调，该软件会根据手机的使用方式自动调整自身位置。例如，当手机部分折叠时，应用内容会自动滑到屏幕两侧。当手机完全展开并像帐篷一样支起时，它就可以用作床头钟。

三星和谷歌等安卓手机制造商也为其折叠屏手机推出了类似功能。

这款手机的内置屏幕尺寸为 7.6 英寸，比 iPhone 18 Pro 的屏幕大 80%。用户可以同时在屏幕上使用多个应用程序。

在 FaceTime 通话期间，您还可以同时使用两个摄像头，并且可以使用外屏预览拍摄画面。

Duo 的细微差别——包括当显示屏折叠到不同位置时软件的调整方式——对于苹果公司来说可能至关重要，因为它可以说服消费者，其最新设备不仅仅是一款屏幕更大的 iPhone。

这种方法在 iPad 和 Apple Watch 上都取得了成功。苹果为其平板电脑和智能手表开发了专门的软件和操作系统，避免它们给人感觉像是 iPhone 的放大版或缩小版。对 iPhone Duo 也采取同样的做法，很可能是其成功的关键。