This is the English edition of a video from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets from my home studio in Japan, so the prices here are Japanese Apple Store prices.
Quick take
Apple finally announced its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, at its 2026 event. As someone who uses a Galaxy Z Fold8 every day, I came away more impressed than I expected: the closed design, the animation as it opens, and software built around folding all look excellent. Then I saw the Japanese prices. The iPhone Duo starts at ¥364,800, and almost everything else Apple announced got more expensive too.
What I covered
- iPhone Duo, Apple’s first foldable, seen from the point of view of a Galaxy Z Fold8 user
- iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
- AirPods 5
- Apple Watch Series 12, including the returning ceramic model (I bought one)
- Japanese pricing for all of the above, as announced at the time of recording
What stood out about the iPhone Duo
- The closed design is better than the rumors suggested. Some leaks pointed to a rounded, D-shaped hinge side, but the real thing looks fairly square and still very much like an iPhone.
- As you open it, the outer display changes step by step and flows into the main display. I first assumed it was a CGI effect for the presentation, but it appears to be real UI tied to the folding motion. On a phone you open many times a day, details like this matter.
- The front camera on the main screen sits under the display, so there is no visible punch hole like on my Fold8. The camera area may look slightly different up close, but I still prefer it.
- Apple talked about the display structure, scratch resistance and a less visible crease. That is something I want to judge on a real unit, not from a video.
- Apple says the open screen is about 50% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max. From my Fold8 experience, a screen that gets wider makes a much bigger difference than the number suggests.
- The software is designed around folding, for example using the phone half-open and propped up like a stand.
- FaceTime can use both the inner and outer cameras. On a family video call, I could film my kids while they also see the person on the other end, without flipping the phone around.
- It supports MagSafe. I rely on a MagSafe ring on my Fold8 for grip and as a stand, so this is important to me.
- For camera performance, I think the iPhone 18 Pro models are the better buy. The Duo is for people who value the foldable experience itself.
The catch: price and weight
In the US, Apple showed a price of $1,999, which matched expectations. From that I guessed Japan would land around ¥330,000 to ¥350,000. The real Japanese price is ¥364,800 for 256 GB, and the 2 TB model is ¥574,000. With a case and accessories, many people will spend well over ¥400,000. My Galaxy Z Fold8 cost around ¥260,000, so the gap is roughly ¥100,000. The Duo also weighs about 250 g, which is noticeably heavier than the Fold8, and that is something to think about for a phone you carry every day.
At the time of recording, pre-orders were set to open on October 16 and the release on October 23, a little later than the regular iPhone lineup.
iPhone 18 Pro, AirPods 5 and Apple Watch Series 12
- iPhone 18 Pro: the headline feature is a variable aperture on the camera, which interests me most as someone who shoots video. Apple also pushed AI features and a new processor.
- The iPhone 18 Pro starts at ¥219,800. The 512 GB Pro Max I am considering is ¥274,800, and the 2 TB Pro Max reaches ¥448,800.
- The Pro Max now weighs about 249 g, around 16 g more than last year’s model.
- Good news for case fans: the iPhone 18 Pro Max is the same size as last year’s model, so existing cases should still fit.
- AirPods 5 gain some features from AirPods Pro 3, such as translation and improved noise cancelling. They start at ¥23,800, or ¥27,800 with a wireless charging case. Unless you really need wireless charging, the standard one is enough, and at this price it is worth comparing with AirPods Pro if in-ear tips suit you.
- Apple Watch Series 12 starts at ¥71,800, titanium at ¥125,800 and ceramic at ¥159,800. I bought the pearl white ceramic 42 mm with a Modern Buckle, which came to ¥185,800.
| iPhone Duo | Galaxy Z Fold8 | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOS | Android |
| Foldable history | Apple’s first | Several generations of the Fold series |
| Price in Japan | From ¥364,800 | Around ¥260,000 |
| Weight | About 250 g | Lighter |
| MagSafe | Built in | Through a case |
| Main appeal | Apple ecosystem, new UI | Price, maturity, track record |
Who it’s for
If you live in the Apple ecosystem and want a foldable without leaving iOS, the iPhone Duo is the option you have been waiting for. If you are not tied to an OS and simply want to enjoy a foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold8 is still very attractive, and in Japan the ¥100,000 difference is hard to ignore. Even so, the Duo excited me in a way I have not felt since Apple Vision Pro, and since almost everyone uses a phone, I think it could bring a lot of people to foldables. I would like to buy one and compare it with my Fold8.
The video is in Japanese. It condenses the roughly two-hour event into about 20 minutes.
Limitations
This is a reaction to the announcement, not a hands-on review. I have not used an iPhone Duo, so the crease, durability and real-world feel are still unknown. All prices are Japanese prices as announced at the time of recording, and the Fold8 price is roughly what I paid. Prices in your country will differ.
Products
This is an event recap, so there are no product links on this page.
More reviews in English
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This review is also available in Japanese.