Apple enters foldable race with iPhone Duo at ₹2,99,900, targets Pro Max users

US-based technology giant Apple has entered the foldable smartphone market with the launch of iPhone Duo, priced at ₹2,99,900 in India as the company seeks to combine a larger display with its premium iPhone ecosystem and attract users looking for new ways to consume content, multitask and create.

The device which will be available from October 23 features a 7.6-inch inner display and a 5.4-inch outer display. In addition, both screens share the same aspect ratio, allowing content to scale proportionally between the two.

According to the company, the inner display has a nano-texture finish to reduce glare and minimise crease visibility.

Moreover, the iPhone Duo is powered by Apple’s A20 Pro chip and includes an advanced thermal management system, a dual-battery architecture and a new camera system.

However, the company claims up to 31 hours of video playback on the inner display and up to 44 hours on the outer display. The device also introduces new foldable specific camera experiences, including Smart Take, Duo Preview and Duo FaceTime.

While iOS 27 adds multitasking features such as Split View and the ability to save pairs of apps.

“iPhone Duo is the most transformational change to iPhone since the original. With an entirely new design and intuitive experiences, it shows what’s possible when hardware and software are engineered together and redefines what it means to use a foldable phone,” said John Ternus, Apple’s CEO.

Prabhu Ram, Head of the Industry Intelligence Group at CyberMedia Research (CMR), said the device is likely to establish an uber-premium tier above the Pro series rather than drive near-term volumes.

He said the price premium over US pricing reflects memory-cost inflation, rupee depreciation, customs duties, local tax structures and channel margins. According to him, structured retail financing could help attract affluent buyers, estimating an incremental monthly outlay of approximately ₹20,000 over an iPhone 18 Pro Max baseline of about ₹28,817.

“While near-term shipments will remain modest and supply-constrained, the Duo is well-positioned to convert core Pro Max users,” he said. The iPhone Duo will be available in star white and night sky, with storage options ranging from 256GB to 2TB. Pre-orders begin October 16.

Foldables account for less than 1 per cent of total smartphone shipments, Ram said and added that but Apple’s entry could attract iPhone loyalists and early technology adopters while encouraging further innovation across the category.

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