Apple's first folding iPhone costs $1,999 and reviewers say it's worth the wait

Apple's first folding phone, the iPhone Duo, starts at $1,999, and Gizmodo's reviewer calls it worth the wait. Apple took longer than Samsung, Google and Xiaomi to make a foldable. The review says that delay paid off with a much less visible screen crease. It is also the most Apple has ever charged for an iPhone.

What it costs

Prices run from $1,999 up to $3,199 for the largest storage option. For comparison, the review notes that the iPhone X, the first $1,000 iPhone, now looks affordable. The material does not say when the phone ships or what the in-between storage tiers cost.

What Apple built

The phone has a 5.4-inch outer screen and a 7.6-inch inner screen that opens like a book. Closed, it is slightly smaller than a passport. The hinge works at multiple angles for different folding modes, and Apple wrote software made for the two screens. The reviewer used it for a week and said it was hard to put down.

The screen and the crease

The inner screen has a matte, nano-texture finish. The reviewer says it looks like printed paper and cuts reflections, so it stayed readable in direct sunlight. The crease down the middle can still be seen at some angles, but the reviewer mostly noticed it only when the screen was off. The tradeoff is that colors are less vibrant and blacks less deep than on the glossy outer screen.

The weight problem

At 254 grams, the iPhone Duo is heavier than the iPhone 18 Pro Max (249g). It is well above Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 (201g), the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra (215g) and Google's Pixel 11 Pro Fold (239g). The reviewer found it slippery and said it made a front pocket sag.

Much of the weight comes from the materials:

• A Grade 5 titanium frame, where other foldables use lighter aluminum
• Ceramic Shield 2 glass on the outer screen and Ceramic Shield on the back
• A multi-angle hinge, a Camera Control button and a vapor chamber, a part that helps move heat away

The Star White model looked like luxury jewelry, while the dark navy Night Sky showed more fingerprints.

Who it is for

This is a phone for people who want a foldable and are willing to pay a record price for premium materials. Anyone who prizes a light phone may feel the extra weight every day. The review excerpt does not cover battery life, camera quality or how well the hinge holds up over time, so those remain open questions.