Apple just did something it hasn’t done in nearly a decade — launched a genuinely new iPhone shape. Alongside the expected iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple unveiled its first-ever foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, at a “Surprise and Shine” event this week in Cupertino, arriving with a $1,999 starting price that makes it the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever sold.
Why It Matters
This is Apple’s biggest hardware bet since the iPhone X in 2017, and it landed at a moment when Samsung, Honor, and other Android makers have already spent years refining their own foldables. For US, UK, and Australian shoppers, this launch also comes with real sticker shock — every device announced this week costs more than its predecessor, largely due to industry-wide memory chip shortages pushing component costs higher across the board.
The Details
(cite index=”72-1″>Apple held its “Surprise and Shine” event on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park, unveiling the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, its first-ever foldable iPhone, the Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5</cite>. (cite index=”75-1″>The foldable ultimately launched under the name iPhone Duo rather than the widely rumored “iPhone Ultra,” featuring a book-style folding design with a 7.6-inch inner display and a 5.4-inch outer display, powered by Apple’s new A20 Pro chip</cite>.
Pricing came in at the high end of expectations across every product. (cite index=”76-1″>The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 in the US for the base 256GB model, climbing to roughly $3,000 for the top 2TB configuration</cite>, while (cite index=”70-1″>the standard iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max at $1,299 — both $100 more than their iPhone 17 Pro predecessors</cite>. (cite index=”75-1″>The iPhone Duo is eSIM-only worldwide, includes 12GB of RAM, dual 24-megapixel front cameras, and a 48-megapixel main and ultrawide rear camera system</cite>.
For UK buyers, (cite index=”77-1″>the iPhone 18 Pro starts at £1,199 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max at £1,299, with the iPhone Duo priced at £1,999 — all confirmed prices, with pre-orders opening Saturday, September 12 at 1pm and general availability from Friday, September 18</cite>. In Australia, (cite index=”73-1″>the iPhone 18 Pro starts at AU$2,099 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max at AU$2,299 — both up AU$100 on last year’s pricing — with Australian pre-orders opening Saturday, September 12 at 10pm AEST</cite>, while (cite index=”35-1″>the iPhone Duo carries an Australian price of roughly AU$3,499</cite>.
Notably, the foldable won’t be available on day one alongside the rest of the lineup. (cite index=”75-1″>The iPhone Duo will not launch until October, with pre-orders opening October 16 and general availability beginning October 23</cite> — a staggered rollout that suggests Apple is being cautious about initial supply of its first folding device.
What This Means for the Smartphone Market
The pricing story here is bigger than any one device. (cite index=”72-1″>Reports ahead of the event had already flagged that the memory chip shortage rattling the broader smartphone industry would likely push iPhone prices higher this year</cite>, and that prediction played out across the entire lineup — not just the premium foldable. When even the “standard” Pro models get a $100 bump attributed partly to component costs rather than new features, it signals the memory shortage story (already a major trend across Samsung, Google, and other manufacturers this year) has become an industry-wide tax on premium phone buyers, not a one-brand problem.
The bigger strategic question is whether Apple’s late arrival to foldables works in its favor or against it. Samsung has spent years and three generations refining the Galaxy Z Fold line, including the same “wide vs. tall” form-factor experiment Apple appears to be entering with fresh eyes. Apple’s approach — a book-style fold with what it’s calling its largest-ever display and a crease-minimizing design — suggests the company waited specifically to solve the durability and crease problems that dogged early folding phones, rather than rushing a first-generation product to market. Whether that patience pays off will show up in how the Duo’s October launch reviews compare to Samsung’s most recent Fold generation, and in whether Apple’s famously loyal upgrade cycle extends to a device priced two to three times higher than a standard iPhone.
What’s Next
Watch for hands-on reviews once the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max ship September 18, followed by iPhone Duo reviews ahead of its October 23 launch — durability testing on the fold mechanism will be the detail most worth tracking, since that’s historically where first-generation foldables have struggled. Also worth watching: whether Apple’s staggered global rollout (with the Duo potentially US-first before wider international availability) becomes a template for future foldable generations, and how Samsung and other Android makers respond competitively once real-world Duo reviews and sales figures start rolling in.
FAQ
How much does the new iPhone Duo cost? The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 in the US, £1,999 in the UK, and roughly AU$3,499 in Australia for the base 256GB configuration, making it the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever released. Higher storage configurations reach approximately $3,000 in the US.
When can I buy the new iPhones? The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max become available September 18, 2026 in the US, UK, and Australia, with pre-orders opening September 12 in all three markets. The foldable iPhone Duo launches separately in October, with pre-orders from October 16 and availability from October 23.
Is the iPhone Duo worth it compared to Samsung’s foldables? That depends on your priorities and budget — Samsung has more generations of foldable refinement behind it, while Apple’s Duo is a first-generation device built on Apple’s software ecosystem. Early reviews following the October launch will be the best guide for a direct comparison; this isn’t a recommendation either way