Apple has unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone and one of the biggest changes to the company’s smartphone since the original model arrived.

The new phone opens to reveal a 7.6 inch inner display while offering a 5.4 inch outer display when closed, with prices in the UK starting at £1,999.

Apple says the inner screen is 50% larger than the display on the iPhone 18 Pro Max, creating considerably more room for watching content, gaming and working across multiple apps.

When folded, the outer display provides 90% of the screen area of the iPhone 18 Pro while allowing the Duo to retain a more compact design.

Both displays use the same aspect ratio so content can move proportionally between them as the phone is opened and closed.

At the heart of the new device is Apple’s A20 Pro chip, supported by a new thermal management system and two batteries positioned on either side of the phone.

Apple claims up to 31 hours of video playback using the inner display and as much as 44 hours when using the outer screen.

The folding design also introduces new ways of using the cameras, including the ability for people being photographed to see themselves on the outer display while the photographer uses the main screen.

A feature called Smart Take uses artificial intelligence to recognise when subjects are posing before automatically taking a photograph, while Kid Cue can display Peanuts animations on the outer screen to encourage children to look towards the camera.

The camera system includes 48MP main and ultra wide cameras, while the phone can record 4K video at up to 120 frames per second in Dolby Vision.

Apple has redesigned iOS 27 around the folding format, including the ability to run two apps side by side on an iPhone for the first time.

The Duo also introduces Siri AI, which Apple says will use personal context and information displayed on screen to provide more relevant answers and carry out actions for users.

Apple CEO John Ternus said:

“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.”

Durability will inevitably be closely watched on a folding device, and Apple says the hinge contains more than 100 components while the phone uses grade 5 titanium, Ceramic Shield protection and an IP68 rating for resistance to water and dust.

The iPhone Duo will be available in star white and night sky with storage options ranging from 256GB to 2TB.

UK customers will be able to preorder from Friday 16 October, with the first phones becoming available on Friday 23 October.

At £1,999 before accessories, Apple’s first folding iPhone is also making its debut firmly at the premium end of the smartphone market.