Apple Launches Foldable iPhone Duo

The iPhone Duo is a gamble by new boss John Ternus, who took over from long-time chief executive Tim Cook this month.

Apple is entering the foldable phone market comparatively late, following the likes of South Korea's Samsung and China's Huawei.

Ternus told an audience at Apple's California headquarters: "Others have created foldables that just feel like two phones awkwardly stuck together".

In the US, prices start at $1,999, but can go up to $3,200. It has taken eight years to develop, something Ternus was directly involved in after spending many years as a top executive inside Apple's hardware division.

When unfolded, it looks like a small iPad and a wider iPhone when it is folded.

Ternus said: "It's entirely new and at the same time remarkably familiar. A similar size to your passport, it feels familiar to hold and comfortable to use with one hand. "But the product is facing established competitors. "The real fight is China, where Huawei owns nearly 80% of foldables," said Francisco Jeronimo, vice president for data and analytics, devices at IDC EMEA.

Apple unveiled its new iPhone Duo as part of a launch event in Cupertino, California on Wednesday

Ben Wood, chief analyst at technology research firm FDM CCS Insight, said it was likely Ternus's promotion was timed specifically "to coincide with what will be arguably one of the biggest iPhone launches for many years". Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Creative Strategies who attended the Wednesday presentation, said the spotlight on Ternus made it feel "almost like he was a product himself".

Altering the design of the iPhone may address some criticism that Apple has yet to land a major product hit or truly exciting innovation since the first iPhone came out in 2007.