Apple Unveils Its First Foldable iPhone as New CEO John Ternus Begins a Major New Chapter for the Company

Apple has unveiled its first-ever foldable iPhone, marking one of the company’s biggest hardware changes in more than a decade and giving new CEO John Ternus a major product launch at the start of his tenure.

The iPhone Duo, unveiled at Apple’s September 9 event in Cupertino, opens like a book, transforming from a compact phone with a 5.4-inch outer display into a 7.6-inch screen. It starts at $1,999, making it Apple’s most expensive iPhone. Pre-orders begin in October, with sales following later that month.

The device is powered by Apple’s A20 Pro chip and features split-screen multitasking and Apple Pencil support. It also uses a titanium frame and advanced cooling technology designed for the demands of the larger foldable display.

Apple is entering the foldable market years after rivals such as Samsung, which launched its first Galaxy Fold in 2019. Although foldable phones remain a relatively small part of the smartphone market, Apple’s huge customer base could help make the technology more mainstream.

The launch also comes as John Ternus officially begins his tenure as CEO, succeeding Tim Cook after 15 years. Ternus joined Apple in 2001 and most recently served as senior vice president of hardware engineering.

The foldable iPhone therefore represents an early test of Ternus’ leadership and a major opportunity to establish a new chapter for Apple. The company also unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, featuring upgraded cameras, the A20 Pro chip and new AI capabilities, alongside new Apple Watch and AirPods models.

Apple now faces the challenge of convincing consumers that the $1,999 price is justified in a market where competitors have already spent years refining foldable technology. For Ternus, however, the launch puts a completely new iPhone category at the centre of his first major product event as CEO.