iPhone Duo, not iPhone Ultra, tipped as Apple’s first foldable phone, with a $2,000 price tag

Apple’s first foldable iPhone could debut tonight as the iPhone Duo, with a reported $2,000 starting price, Apple Pencil support and up to 2TB of storage.

After years of watching Samsung and Google refine the bendable display from a gimmick into a mainstream staple, Apple appears ready to finally unfold its own vision. Hours before tonight’s “Surprise and Shine” event, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman dropped a last-minute leak detailing what could easily steal the entire show: Cupertino’s inaugural foldable, reportedly dubbed the iPhone Duo. Gurman claims the foldable will debut around a jaw-dropping $2,000 and before John Ternus takes the stage tonight, here is the breakdown of what to expect, from expected storage tiers and reported colours to Apple Pencil integration and realistic launch timelines.

Apple’s first foldable may be called iPhone Duo and could cost $2,000 with Apple Pencil support. (Representative Image, Credits: Shaurya Sharma- HT Tech)

Apple iPhone Duo: Price, storage, Apple Pencil support and colours

As per Gurman, the iPhone Duo could possibly start at $2,000 with 256GB of storage. Apple may also offer a higher-end version with as much as 2TB of storage, potentially taking the price to around $3,000. The steep pricing is reportedly linked in part to increasing component costs, particularly memory. Apple is said to be absorbing some of those additional expenses rather than passing the entire increase on to customers. Even so, the iPhone Duo could rank among the most expensive mainstream Apple products when it eventually reaches stores.

The foldable is expected to use a book-style design with a large internal display. Gurman also claims it will support Apple Pencil, which could make the bigger screen more useful for note-taking and other tasks. It remains unclear whether existing Apple Pencil models will work with the device or whether a dedicated version is being developed.

As for colours, the iPhone Duo is reportedly expected in dark blue and white, with no black option at launch.

iPhone Duo sale date and other Apple launches tonight

While the iPhone Duo is expected to be unveiled tonight, interested buyers may have to wait a little longer. The foldable could reportedly go on sale as early as October, with its release potentially following the main iPhone launch because of the manufacturing challenges involved in producing a foldable device.

The iPhone Duo will not be alone on stage. The Cupertino-based tech giant is also expected to launch the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, with camera improvements, a smaller Dynamic Island and better thermal management among the reported upgrades. Prices for the Pro variant could also rise.

According to the report, Apple may additionally launch the AirPods 5, possibly in two versions, including one with a wireless charging case and improved active noise cancellation. The Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are also expected, with new health features and a privacy-focused AI function reportedly capable of summarising aspects of a user's day.

None of these details has been confirmed by Apple. The answers should come tonight when the US-based tech giant takes the stage. The event begins at 10:30 pm IST and will be streamed on Apple’s website, the Apple TV app and YouTube.