Ive never wanted a phone as much as the iPhone Duo, but at $2,000, I just can't go there and I'm left wondering who's going to buy Apple's remarkable-looking foldable

Date:
Sat, 12 Sep 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Description:
The iPhone Duo is Apples most exciting phone in years, but Im wondering who
is actually going to buy it.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Surprise! Apple unveiled its first foldable phone the iPhone Duo at its big September event last week. The fact that we knew for months (if not years) it was coming made the Surprise in Apples Surprise and Shine tagline feel slightly unnecessary, but there we go.

And yes, despite the cat being so far out of the bag that it had run down the street and disappeared over the horizon, I still felt a pang of excitement at the Duo's official unveiling, of the kind I havent felt for an iPhone reveal in many years. This was a big announcement, and one that I think Apple really nailed. Yet theres one thing stopping me from smashing the proverbial piggy bank and throwing wads of money at Apple like Fry from Futurama . And its
made me wonder who exactly is going to buy the iPhone Duo once it lands this October . Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: A flawed first attempt (Image credit: Apple) As exciting as it is, the iPhone Duo is clearly a device for early adopters. Like the iPhone Air before it, its an exciting yet compromised device that lacks many of the features found on more affordable models.

You only get two cameras versus the three on the iPhone 18 Pro , for example, despite that device costing almost half the price of the iPhone Duo. Theres
no Action button, either, nor Face ID , with Touch ID making a somewhat anachronistic comeback and offering a weaker seal on your device than Apples facial recognition tech a bizarre step for a company as obsessed with user security as Apple. You may like I touched the iPhone Duo and Apple just
solved the foldable crease problem 5 reasons I want the iPhone Duo more than every Android foldable Ive tested even without Face ID Samsung just fixed
the foldable phone now Apple can make it cool

Of course, those Apple fans who do end up buying the iPhone Duo will clearly be willing to see past these drawbacks and, ultimately, be more concerned
with the experience of using the device and Apple has always excelled at making its products seem fun and stylish to use.

Remember the original iPhone? It came without video recording, without 3G connectivity, without third-party apps, and with subpar battery life. Yet
none of that stopped it from completely revolutionizing the smartphone industry, with Apples rivals quickly realizing they could never go back to
the old way of doing things. The iPhone Duo has the potential to do the same thing. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

But being an early adopter doesnt only mean you have to accept missing features that might, eventually, one day arrive you also have to stump up more cash. And at $1,999 / 1,999 / AU$3,499, the iPhone Duo is easily Apples most expensive iPhone ever. (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Now look,
I can understand that a foldable phone is going to cost more than its non-foldable siblings. After all, youre essentially getting three times the displays of the iPhone 18 Pro, special software features that arent available anywhere else, and a completely different user experience than is currently offered by the rest of the iPhone range.

The Duo was never going to be cheap. And considering the pre-event rumors suggesting it could start at as much as $2,500 , the final $1,999 / 1,999 / AU$3,499 price is, strangely, something of a relief. What to read next Apple iPhone 18 Duo preorders: everything you need to know, including start times, deals, and pricing Apple's late foldables arrival puts pressure on it to
level up the category Apple Event 2026 recap foldable iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, AirPods 5, and more

But the iPhone Duo has made me contemplate one point in particular: who actually needs a foldable phone ? Apples competitors have been making them
for years (to varying degrees of success and quality), but in all that time, Ive only ever seen one in the wild. Ive never even been tempted to try one myself before the iPhone Duo came along.

Far from the revolution we were promised at the dawn of the foldable era,
what weve seen in actuality has been something of a damp squib and thats not exactly auspicious for Apples first crack at the market. Whos going to buy
it? (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Dont get me wrong: Im extremely excited for the iPhone Duo. I havent felt the need to rush down to the Apple Store to try the latest iPhones like this for years. Usually, Im happy to
wait and go whenever it's convenient to do so. Now, though, I want to be
there yesterday.

Theres a lot I love about the Duo, from the thoughtful passport design to the way Apple has cleverly minimized (but, alas, not totally hidden ) the crease. What entices me most is the way the software adapts to whatever youre doing with the hardware. This isnt just an operating system that's been crammed
into a new and awkward form factor. Its obvious that Apple has tried hard to make sure that iOS not only works on the iPhone Duo, but does so in captivating ways.

To my mind, its a device that many people will want to try, but that few will actually buy. But none of this excitement and intrigue outweighs my
reluctance to fork out two grand for the privilege of owning the Duo. Thats a huge amount of money to pay for a phone, especially one thats missing key features to the extent that the iPhone Duo is .

If someone like me an Apple fan who has been buying iPhones since the days
of the iPhone 3GS cant be moved to actually buy an iPhone Duo, who can? Certainly not your everyday punters. This is not a phone thats going to sell in the same ballpark as the regular iPhone 18 ( whenever it eventually
arrives ).

To my mind, its a device that many people will want to try, but that few will actually buy. Much like the Vision Pro , its Apples first attempt in a new category, and people are right to be cautious of that.

But Im hoping that, unlike the Vision Pro, Apple doesnt fumble it this time. Its clear that the company has swallowed much of the cost increases caused by the global RAM crisis the Duo could easily have cost far more than $1,999 / 1,999 / AU$3,499, as the early rumors implied.

Now Apple needs to make sure the iPhone Duo can pull off the same winning formula as the original iPhone and not that of the Vision Pro. I hope it
can, because as much as Ive balked at its sky-high price, I dont remember the last time I was this enamored with a shiny new iPhone. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Todays best iPhone deals Contract Deals Sim Free gift Apple iPhone 17 24 months Unlimited mins Unlimited texts 25GB data 25 upfront 33.99 /mth View Deal at Mobiles.co.uk See all prices voucher gift Apple iPhone 17 Pro 48 months Unlimited mins 5GB data 30 upfront 55.97 /mth View Deal at EE See all prices voucher gift Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max 48 months Unlimited mins 5GB data 30 upfront 49.22 /mth View Deal at EE See all prices voucher gift Apple iPhone 17e 48 months Unlimited mins 5GB data 30 upfront 37.92 /mth View Deal at EE See all prices voucher gift Apple iPhone Air 48 months Unlimited mins 25GB data 30 upfront 43.49 /mth View Deal at EE See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices



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