Apple launches long-awaited foldable iPhone as John Ternus succeeds Tim Cook as CEO

Apple has finally entered the foldable iPhone market after years of rumors, unveiling what could be its most dramatic iPhone redesign yet.

The company’s first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, has been one of the most anticipated products in its history.

The launch also marks a major changing of the guard for Apple, with John Ternus taking the stage for his first major iPhone event as CEO.

Here’s everything you need to know about Apple’s new foldable iPhone and the man now running the company.

Apple’s foldable iPhone is finally here

Apple has spent years watching Samsung, Google and other smartphone makers experiment with foldable gadgets before finally entering the market itself.

The long-rumored foldable phone will come in a book-style design, with a smaller display on the outside and a much larger screen revealed when the device is opened.

Apple has reportedly been working on the problems that affect other foldable phones including the crease and the thinness.

Its late arrival to the foldable market could actually work in its favor.

Rather than being first, the company has had years to study the problems faced by rival devices, including screen creases, hinge durability and dust resistance.

That means Apple is effectively arriving after the rest of the industry has done some of the experimentation for it, and there is perhaps no more appropriate person to introduce the device than Apple’s new CEO.

Ternus said that rather than fixing two phones together, hinting that this is what rivals have previously done, they designed a completely new way of blending two displays into a 7.6-inch screen.

The outer display measures 5.4 inches, while both screens feature ProMotion, Always-On functionality and up to 3,000 nits of outdoor brightness.

Apple has also used a titanium frame, Ceramic Shield 2 glass and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.

The inner display has a nano-texture finish designed to reduce glare and reflections, while Apple says it also helps minimize the visibility of the crease.

The Duo is powered by Apple’s new A20 Pro chip, paired with a custom vapor chamber and dual-battery system.

Apple says the phone can deliver up to 35 percent better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro.

It also has a dual 48MP Fusion camera system and can be used in different configurations when folded or partially opened.

Available in Star White and Night Sky, the Duo will start at $1,999 with pre-orders opening on October 16.

The phone will arrive in stores on October 23.

The far moodier iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max also debuted, bringing a handful of upgrades to Apple’s more familiar smartphone lineup alongside the much more dramatic Duo.

The new models feature Apple’s latest A20 chip, improved cameras and a redesigned display, giving buyers a more traditional option for those who aren’t ready to fold.

Apparently, they get a next-generation ‘vapor chamber’ while the Pro Max gets Apple’s biggest battery-life increase ever.

Meet Apple’s new boss John Ternus

John Ternus became Apple’s CEO on September 1, taking over from Tim Cook after more than 15 years at the helm.

Cook hasn’t left Apple entirely because he has moved into the role of executive chairman, meaning the transition is designed to maintain continuity while Ternus takes responsibility for the company’s day-to-day leadership.

Ternus is also a very different type of Apple boss from Cook.

Rather than coming from Apple’s operations or business side, Ternus is an engineer who has spent almost his entire career working on the company’s hardware.

He joined Apple in 2001 as part of its product design team and became vice president of Hardware Engineering in 2013, and in 2021, he joined Apple’s executive team as senior vice president of Hardware Engineering.

During his time at Apple, Ternus worked across some of the company’s biggest products, including the iPad, AirPods, iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch.

He also played a role in Apple’s transition from Intel processors to its own Apple silicon chips.

That makes the foldable iPhone an especially interesting first major product moment for him.

Apple’s board announced the succession in April, describing it as the result of a long-term succession planning process.

The foldable iPhone, meanwhile, could become one of the defining products of his early tenure.

Apple has been unusually cautious about entering the foldable market, with competitors having launched their own devices years earlier.

Now Ternus has the chance to show exactly what happens when Apple finally decides the technology is ready.

And if the company gets it right, this could be the biggest change to the iPhone in nearly a decade – exciting.