Apple’s new boss starts with big gamble on costly first folding iPhone
John Ternus has begun his second week as Apple’s chief executive with the company unveiling its biggest iPhone design change since the device was introduced nearly two decades ago.
Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook as Apple CEO, appeared on stage at the company’s annual product launch event on Wednesday, where he showcased the first foldable iPhone.
Named the iPhone Duo, the new device features a book-style folding design and is the largest iPhone Apple has produced. It is also the company’s most expensive iPhone, with prices starting at $2,000 (£1,475) and rising to $3,200 (£2,365).
Ternus described the Duo as being “inspired by the iPad”, while praising its folding mechanism as smooth and intuitive.
Apple has reportedly been developing a foldable iPhone for several years. When opened, the device resembles a compact iPad, while folding it produces a wider, conventional iPhone-like form.
Ternus said Apple deliberately designed the Duo to avoid the appearance of existing foldable smartphones, which he criticised for giving the impression of being “two phones stuck together” and limiting the benefits of having a larger display.
He described the new device as the product of several major technological advances that Apple believes will transform the foldable smartphone experience.
Ternus played a significant role in the development of the foldable iPhone, having spent years as a senior executive in Apple’s hardware division before being selected earlier this year to succeed Cook.
Ben Wood, chief analyst at technology research firm FDM, suggested that Ternus’s appointment may have been strategically timed to coincide with what could become one of Apple’s most significant iPhone launches in years.
“Nothing happens by accident at Apple,” Wood said.
The major redesign comes as Apple faces criticism over its ability to introduce another breakthrough product comparable to the original iPhone, which revolutionised the smartphone market in 2007.
Forrester analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee, however, warned that the foldable device could end up being more of a high-priced status symbol than a major driver of growth for Apple.
Until now, the highest starting price for Apple’s latest iPhone had been $900 (£664). The company also unveiled the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro on Wednesday, starting at $1,200 (£885) and $1,300 (£959), respectively.
Chatterjee said the foldable iPhone could struggle in a similar way to Apple’s Vision Pro headset, which launched at $3,699 (£2,729) and has failed to attract mass-market demand. Alternatively, he said, it could follow the trajectory of the Apple Watch, which, despite being less popular than the iPhone, sells millions of units annually.
Wood noted that foldable smartphones currently account for only about 2% of global smartphone sales, with devices from manufacturers such as Samsung and Huawei dominating the segment.
Even with Apple’s entry expected to generate significant consumer interest, FDM estimates that foldable phones could account for only around 4% of the overall smartphone market over the next decade.
The iPhone remains Apple’s best-selling product, generating more than half of the company’s annual revenue.
In recent quarters, Apple has continued to report strong demand for its smartphones, with the latest model described by the company as its most successful iPhone launch to date.
Source: BBC
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