Apple has finally made a folding phone. The iPhone Duo — the first foldable iPhone — went on pre-order on Friday night and hits stores on 23 October. If you are thinking about buying one, here is everything that matters: the price, where to buy it, the best pre-order deals, and the things worth checking before you hand over $3,499.
What is the iPhone Duo?
The iPhone Duo is Apple’s first folding smartphone. Folded shut it looks like a regular iPhone with a 5.4-inch outer screen. Open it up and you get a 7.6-inch display that is closer to a small iPad than a phone. Apple calls it a productivity device — two apps side by side, bigger video calls, that sort of thing. It runs on the new A20 Pro chip and comes with iOS 27.
It comes in two colours — star white and night sky — with a grade 5 titanium body. Instead of Face ID it uses Touch ID built into the side button, and the camera system is two 48MP lenses (main and ultra-wide) without a telephoto lens. Support for the USB-C Apple Pencil arrives later this year.
The big one to know: the iPhone Duo is eSIM-only. There is no physical SIM tray, here or anywhere else in the world. More on that below.
iPhone Duo price
There is no getting around it — this is the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever sold. Here is what each storage size costs, including GST:
| Storage | Price |
|---|---|
| 256GB | $3,499 |
| 512GB | $3,899 |
| 1TB | $4,699 |
| 2TB | $5,899 |
For comparison, Samsung’s rival Galaxy Z Fold 8 starts at $2,699 — so Apple is asking roughly $800 more to fold. Pre-orders opened at 10pm AEST (11pm AEDT) on Friday 16 October, and the phone goes on sale in stores on Friday 23 October.
Where to buy the iPhone Duo
Apple
Buy it outright from Apple’s website, the Apple Store app, or in person at an Apple Store from 23 October. Apple takes trade-ins with credit between $60 and $1,595 depending on your old phone. You can also split the cost over 6, 12 or 24 months with Afterpay at 0% interest — the base 256GB model works out to about $145.79 a month over two years.
Optus
Optus is offering a $200 digital Visa gift card if you sign up to an iPhone Duo plan through Finder’s deal page, on top of Optus’s own launch offers. Its 360GB Launch Plus Promo Plan is $59 a month for the first 12 months (then $79), and includes free Upgrade and Protect for the life of the phone repayments plus up to $10 a month in SubHub credit for streaming subscriptions. There is also a $39 SIM-only promo for 100GB for the first year.
Vodafone
Vodafone is adding $300 bonus trade-in credit when you take a 12, 24, 36 or 48-month phone repayment plan. Its discounted SIM-only plans for the first 12 months start at $45 a month for 65GB (Small), $50 for 220GB (Medium) and $55 for 420GB (Large). Pair the Medium or Large plan with a phone repayment and you get free Upgrade and Protect Plus.
Telstra
Telstra is offering $200 bonus trade-in credit on 12, 24 or 36-month plans or outright purchases, and says it will match a higher trade-in quote you get elsewhere. Its Basic SIM-only plan is discounted by $10 a month for the first 12 months.
JB Hi-Fi and Officeworks
JB Hi-Fi is cutting $1,200 off the iPhone Duo when you sign up to a $99 plan over 24 months in store before 28 October. Officeworks is giving 10x Flybuys points on pre-orders, plus up to $1,200 in Officeworks gift cards when you trade in an eligible phone.
iPhone Duo specs at a glance
- 7.6-inch inner display, 5.4-inch outer display
- Thinnest iPhone ever when unfolded
- A20 Pro chip, iOS 27
- Touch ID in the side button (no Face ID)
- Dual 48MP rear cameras (main + ultra-wide)
- eSIM-only with dual eSIM support
- Grade 5 titanium, star white and night sky
- Apple Pencil (USB-C) support coming later this year
eSIM-only: check this before you buy
Because there is no physical SIM slot, a few things are worth sorting out before you pre-order:
- The big three carriers — Telstra, Optus and Vodafone — all support eSIM, so most buyers will be fine. If you are with a smaller MVNO, check with them first.
- If you swap physical SIMs when you travel, you will need to sort out an eSIM or travel plan instead.
- Moving your number across is normally done through your carrier’s app or in store, so do it before launch day rather than on the 23rd when everyone else is.
- Apple’s new iPhone Handoff feature, which puts one number across two iPhones, is not supported by local carriers yet — so don’t count on it.
iPhone Duo accessories
Apple is selling two cases at launch: the standard iPhone Duo Case for $119 and an iPhone Duo Folio with a built-in kickstand for $199. Third-party cases and screen protectors are already showing up too, which is worth knowing because a foldable screen is not something you want to crack.
On that note, seriously consider AppleCare+. Foldable display repairs are expensive — some out-of-warranty fees on the Duo run well into four figures — so a protection plan makes more sense here than on a normal iPhone.
Is the iPhone Duo worth it?
It depends what you are paying for. If you want the biggest screen Apple makes in something that still fits in your pocket, and you will actually use two apps at once, the Duo is genuinely different from anything else in the iPhone line. But $3,499 is a lot of money for a first-generation foldable, and the camera is a step down from the iPhone 18 Pro Max (no telephoto lens). The Galaxy Z Fold 8 does the same folding trick for about $800 less.
Our take: wait until the 23 October launch if you can, read the first hands-on reviews, and check the pre-order deals above before they expire. If you buy, buy the case and AppleCare+ with it.
FAQs
How much does the iPhone Duo cost?
Prices start at $3,499 for 256GB, then $3,899 for 512GB, $4,699 for 1TB and $5,899 for 2TB.
When does the iPhone Duo go on sale?
Pre-orders opened on 16 October 2026 and the phone is on sale from Friday 23 October.
Does the iPhone Duo have a SIM card slot?
No. It is eSIM-only worldwide — there is no physical SIM tray. Telstra, Optus and Vodafone all support eSIM.
Is the iPhone Duo waterproof?
Apple lists the Duo as dust and water resistant, but treat it like any other folding phone — the hinge and the inner screen are the fragile parts, so a case and AppleCare+ are sensible.
Which carriers sell the iPhone Duo?
Telstra, Optus and Vodafone all sell it on phone repayment plans, alongside Apple, JB Hi-Fi, Officeworks and other retailers.
The bottom line
The iPhone Duo is Apple’s boldest phone in years, and the most expensive — $3,499 to start. Pre-orders are open now and it lands on 23 October. Between carrier trade-in credits, gift cards and discounted plans, there is decent money to be saved if you shop around before launch day.
