Apple Unveils First Foldable Phone 'iPhone Duo' at 3.29 Million Won for Korea... Included in First Launch Countries

Adopts Passport-Style Aspect Ratio, Features Liquid Glass UI
Under-Display Camera Included, Supports Apple Pencil
Weighs 254g, Making It the Heaviest iPhone Ever
Korean Price Starts at 3,290,000 Won, Marking the Era of 3-Million-Won Smartph

"There is one more thing."

On September 9 (local time), Apple held its new product launch event at Apple Park, the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, USA. John Turnus, the new CEO who took the helm of Apple this month, made this remark toward the end of the event. This phrase, made iconic by former CEO Steve Jobs during the first unveiling of the iPhone, was recited again by Turnus before introducing Apple's first foldable (folding) smartphone, the iPhone Duo.

On this day, Apple unveiled several new products including the iPhone Duo, the iPhone 18 Pro series, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5.

The iPhone Duo, which is Apple’s first foldable smartphone, adopts a so-called 'passport-style' screen ratio similar to Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Z Fold8. When folded, the screen size measures 13.6cm (5.3 inches), and when unfolded, it expands to 19.3cm (7.6 inches), making it the largest iPhone ever. The display is designed so that when unfolded, it becomes a rounded rectangle at the corners. Because of this, when the iPhone Duo is folded, the left side of the display is a right angle while the right becomes a rounded rectangle, resulting in an asymmetrical shape. The frame is finished with titanium, with a thickness of 5.2mm when unfolded. It is available in two colors: Star White and Night Sky.

The First Foldable iPhone, Heaviest in iPhone History

At the event, Apple emphasized the user interface (UI) optimized for a foldable smartphone. The company applied its signature UI design language 'Liquid Glass,' resulting in an animation effect that appears as if the inner display is reflected through the outer display when opened. When unfolded, users can take advantage of the expanded screen with multitasking support, running two separate apps simultaneously. The Apple Pencil, previously available only on the iPad, is also supported.

The device does not feature 'Face ID,' Apple's infrared-based facial recognition unlock system. Instead, it uses 'Touch ID,' a fingerprint recognition feature integrated into the lock button. The external camera system includes two 48-megapixel sensors. For selfies, there is one 12-megapixel camera on the external display, and another on the internal display; the latter uses an 'under-display camera' (UDC), meaning the camera is hidden beneath the display and not visible to the user.

Apple explained that the device houses dual batteries embedded on both sides, offering up to 31 hours of video playback when fully unfolded. To maximize battery capacity, the physical USIM card slot has been removed, with only eSIM supported; therefore, users who previously used a physical USIM will need to switch to an eSIM.

In terms of portability, the iPhone Duo lags behind competing foldable smartphones. The iPhone Duo weighs 254g, making it the heaviest iPhone to date and heavier than rival foldable devices such as the Galaxy Z Fold8 (201g), Xiaomi 18 Fold (219g), and Huawei Pura X Max (229g).

The surge in prices due to the memory semiconductor supply shortage could not be avoided. In South Korea, the iPhone Duo starts at 3,290,000 won for the most basic 256GB storage model, surpassing the 3,000,000 won mark. The top-end 2TB model is priced at 5,090,000 won. This is in stark contrast to the Galaxy Z Fold8, which maintained a launch price of 2,280,000 won in similar circumstances, minimizing the increase.

iPhone 18 Pro. Apple

Camera Features Enhanced: Adjustable Aperture, Shutter Speed Controls

Apple also unveiled the bar-type smartphones, iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. While keeping the overall design language inherited from the previous iPhone 17 Pro, improvements focus on the camera, including the addition of a variable aperture and shutter speed controls. The battery capacity has increased, enabling up to 43 hours of video playback on the Pro Max model. Available colors are Burgundy, Glacier, Silver, and Black.

The iPhone 18 Pro series also saw price increases. The 256GB model of the iPhone 18 Pro is set at 1,990,000 won, while the 18 Pro Max costs 2,190,000 won. Compared to their predecessors, both models have seen a 200,000 won increase in price.

Both devices are equipped with 'Siri AI,' first unveiled by Apple at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 26 in June. Siri AI is a new version of the voice assistant, provided as a standalone app similar to generative AI chatbot apps. Siri AI can recognize what is displayed on the screen to answer queries, or analyze messages, emails, photos, and other personal content to deliver user-customized responses.

Pre-orders for the iPhone Duo will begin at 9 p.m. on October 16, with official sales starting on October 23. The iPhone 18 Pro will be available for pre-order from 9 p.m. on September 12 and will officially go on sale on September 18. South Korea is included in the first release group, so customers can place orders during this period.

Apple did not unveil the basic model (iPhone 18) and the lightweight 'iPhone Air' at the event. This appears to be a strategy to stabilize the supply chain and disperse consumer demand, given the current shortage of memory semiconductors. Industry observers expect Apple to release the models that were not introduced this time sometime next year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.