At the continuation of the "Surprise and Shine" event in Cupertino, Apple unveiled its first foldable phone called the iPhone Duo; a product that is the company's first flagship device under the leadership of new CEO John Ternus.
According to ITNA, Apple announced that the iPhone Duo was inspired by the adaptability of the iPad.
At the unveiling event the company also demonstrated how to use the phone fully opened and showed that users can use the device vertically in this state as well.
Wider design of the iPhone Duo for better content display
One of the notable features of the iPhone Duo is its different design compared to some early generations of foldable phones.
While many early foldable phones were designed with a tall, vertical structure, Apple has chosen a wider form factor for the iPhone Duo.
This design can provide a more suitable aspect ratio for watching videos when the phone is open and improve the experience of using a larger display.
John Ternus, criticizing common form factors for competitors' foldable phones, described the "iPhone Duo" as a revolutionary product in which both displays have the same aspect ratio; calling it the best aspect ratio for various uses.
According to TechCrunch, companies like Samsung and Xiaomi released their wide foldable phones before Apple. However, Apple's entry into this segment could draw more attention to this form factor and ultimately increase demand for wide foldable phones.
The iPhone Duo could take a significant share of the foldable market
Foldable phones still account for a small portion of the global smartphone market. According to the research firm Counterpoint, foldable products make up less than 2 percent of total smartphone shipments.
However, Apple's entry could noticeably change the conditions of this market. Counterpoint has forecast that the iPhone Duo could capture up to 25 percent of the foldable phone market by the end of the year.
Thus, with its first foldable phone, Apple has entered a market previously held by brands like Samsung and Xiaomi; a market that, although still a small share of the mobile industry, could see growth and increased attention due to the arrival of the iPhone Duo.