The release of the foldable iPhone Duo is a big deal, if only because it's something Apple has never actually done before. However it sounds as though Apple isn't going to stop at just one foldable. Or, at least, that's what Mark Gurman at Bloomberg believes.
In the latest instalment of his Power On newsletter, Gurman claims Apple will have an entire family of foldable phones — similar to what Samsung has done with the Galaxy Z series. This could see Apple release a large foldable phone (the Duo Max), a smaller model with weaker hardware, or a Galaxy Z Flip 8-style clamshell design. It's speculated that these designs could either be a Duo SE or Duo mini.
Gurman also talks about why Apple chose the "Duo" name, rather than the often-rumored iPhone Ultra. Apparently, the company wanted a name with three letters to match Air and Pro, while also describing the dual-screen nature of the phone. Duo is a name that fits so well that Microsoft beat Apple to the punch by almost seven years.
The Duo name is also easier to add a suffix to, making it a more versatile option. Gurman says that Ultra wouldn't have been as versatile, and the ideal of an Ultra Max or Ultra SE wouldn't have made sense. He may have a point, because how can a phone be "Ultra" if it's also an SE model? Though I'm personally still not a fan of the Duo title.
We've already heard about a bigger foldable
It's still too early to say how Apple might expand the Duo lineup, and the future is going to rely on strong sales. After all, Apple reportedly had a whole bunch of plans for future mixed reality headsets, only for them to be cancelled after the Apple Vision Pro flopped. If the Duo sells as badly as the Vision Pro, Apple's foldable ambitions could be dead in the water.
At this stage it's impossible to predict what the future holds, though it's worth mentioning that the Duo does seem to be generating a lot of positive buzz. Apple is no doubt hoping that will translate into sales.
Assuming Apple does continue to produce more foldables beyond standard iPhone Duo sequels, the larger model is the one that should arrive the soonest. Because we've already heard rumors about a larger foldable device, though it has long been referred to as a foldable iPad, rather than a larger foldable iPhone.
The foldable iPad rumors suggest that Apple has been working on an extremely large screen, between 18.8 and 20 inches, which is obviously way too big to pass as a smartphone. For reference, the iPhone Duo's foldable screen is just 7.6-inches, so more than doubling in size would be quite a leap.
I can foresee the Max model being similar to the 11-inch iPad 11 — albeit with a slightly smaller screen and a better display.
If the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are anything to do by, a hypothetical iPhone Duo Max would probably add an inch or two to the larger screen size. In the same way that the iPhone Duo is essentially an iPad mini hiding inside a phone, I can foresee the Max model being similar to the 11-inch iPad 11 — albeit with a slightly smaller screen and a better display. Or, in other words, something half the size of the rumored foldable iPad.
There have been whispers of a foldable MacBook as well, though recent reports claim that this device may have been canceled. Which is probably for the best, considering you'd have to account for the fact laptops already fold and need the physical keyboard to stay functional.
Going smaller or cheaper?
While the idea of a cheaper foldable is certainly very appealing, we're unlikely to see an iPhone Duo SE arrive in the near future. For starters Apple is not really interested in offering cheaper phones, and even if it were, cheaper foldables from other phone makers are practically non-existent.
The closest we've got have had so many cutbacks that they're not actually worth buying, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. While this doesn't discount the idea of Apple offering a cheaper version, especially if the Duo lineup takes off in earnest and production costs can be reduced, it's not going to happen soon.
That said, a clamshell design could still be on the cards. Reports from earlier in the year claimed that Apple could follow the Duo with a clamshell-style phone. This would be Apple's take on the Galaxy Z Flip 8 or the Motorola Razr, and would be a more compact take on an ordinary phone rather than an iPad-equivalent.
While Samsung is rumored to have canceled the Galaxy Z Flip 9, it's unlikely that this would factor into Apple's decision making all that much. Apple is known for doing its own thing, and if it sees value in a flip phone then Samsung's plans aren't of much consequence,
The launch of an iPhone Flip would also likely force Samsung's hand and push it to do something useful with its flip phones, rather than just ignoring them and letting things stagnate for several years.
But for now Apple has to contend with the fact that the iPhone Duo needs to do well. Mark Gurman has a mostly-positive spin on things, predicting extreme supply shortages and scalping overseas.
Which is good for Apple, but as we saw with just about every major electronics release since 2020, it's not so good for the average consumer.
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