Apple has launched its first foldable phone iPhone Duo with marking the biggest design change to the iPhone since 2007. Priced from $1,999 the device opens like a passport also doubling its screen size and combining iPad-style width with iPhone portability. It will hit stores on 23 October.
The launch held at Apple's Cupertino campus was also the first major product event for John Ternus who became CEO on 1 September, succeeding Tim Cook. "iPhone Duo brings an entirely new design while preserving everything you love from an iPhone" Ternus said adding that rival foldables often "feel like two phones stuck together."
Apple also announced the iPhone 18 Pro (starting at $1,199) and 18 Pro Max ($1,299) both featuring major battery upgrades up to 45 hours on the Pro Max and expanded AI capabilities through "Siri AI" which now works with over 300,000 third-party apps. A new feature called Apple Reference Image will verify whether photos were captured by an iPhone camera or AI-generated and acting as a "digital negative."
The company also unveiled its fifth-generation AirPods (from $129) promising 50% better noise cancellation along with the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4. The new watches include "Health Age" which tracks heart health, sleep and metabolic wellness and "Audio Intelligence" which records ambient conversations and generates same-day summaries stored securely on-device with end-to-end encryption as Apple said.
Despite the fanfare foldable phones remain a small segment of the global smartphone market with standard iPhones still driving the bulk of Apple's sales.
With premium phones now costing well over $1,000 experts say extending a device's lifespan makes both financial and environmental sense. The average smartphone replacement cycle has stretched to four years as according to Counterpoint Research as devices become sturdier and upgrades less essential.
Battery health remains the biggest factor in longevity. Experts recommend keeping charge levels between 20% and 80% to avoid complete drains or full charges unless necessary. Extreme heat or cold should also be avoided as both degrade battery performance over time.
Simple habits lowering screen brightness, using dark mode, enabling auto-brightness and turning on low-power or battery-saving modes can meaningfully extend daily battery life. Regularly updating software also helps with Google and Samsung now offering up to seven years of security updates for newer models.
Cleaning charging ports with using protective cases and screen protectors and opting for repairable devices such as those from Netherlands-based Fairphone can further extend a phone's usable life as experts say.
