Apple introduced its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, at its annual product showcase. The event marked the first showcase led by the company's new chief executive. Apple also altered its iPhone release cadence for the first time in seven years, the most significant change to that schedule in that span.

The Duo folds, joining a category that rival manufacturers have offered for several years. The design allows the device to open into a larger display and fold closed to a smaller footprint. Alongside it, Apple presented the iPhone 18 Pro lineup and new models of its smartwatch.

The foldable's price drew immediate attention. In the United Kingdom, the device carries a price near £2,000. When The Telegraph gathered reader reactions to that figure, one comment held that at that cost a buyer might expect the phone to make a cup of tea.

For foldable phones more broadly, adoption has been limited. Coverage noted that foldable phones have not been popular with consumers, and folding designs have been available from other manufacturers for years without displacing conventional smartphones as the dominant form.

The launch event served as the venue for Apple to lay out its full slate of new hardware. The new watches and the iPhone 18 Pro models filled out a lineup that spanned the company's core consumer devices, with the foldable positioned as the headline addition.

References

1. 1.The Telegraph — reader reactions to the UK price near £2,000 and the 'make a cup of tea' comment
2. 2.Coverage of the launch event — details of the iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro lineup, new watches, and the changed release cadence
3. 3.Industry coverage — limited consumer adoption of foldable phones and availability from other manufacturers