NEW DELHI: Apple on Wednesday entered the foldable smartphone market with iPhone Duo, priced at Rs 2,99,900, taking on Samsung, Google and Chinese brands in a category it had stayed away from even as rivals spent years refining the form factor.The book-style device has a 5.5-inch outer screen and unfolds into a 7.8-inch display, effectively turning the phone into a small tablet. It supports side-by-side apps, enhanced multi-tasking and the Apple Pencil, while Touch ID returns through the power button, instead of Face ID. iPhone Duo pre-orders open in India on Oct 16, with retail availability beginning on Oct 23.
Apple also launched the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max at Rs 1,64,900 and Rs 1,79,900, respectively. Pre-orders in India begin Sept 12, with sales starting Sept 18. Both models are available with up to 2TB storage.Their headline upgrade is a 48MP main camera with variable aperture, allowing users to control depth of field and light intake. Apple has added manual controls for aperture, shutter speed and white balance, along with reference image, a feature that records signed sensor data to help establish whether a photograph has been altered.The phones use the 2-nanometre A20 Pro chip and a larger vapour chamber for thermal management. Apple claims up to 40% faster graphics performance, though real-world gains will require independent testing. The company promises up to 36 hours of video playback on the Pro and 45 hours on the Pro Max for eSIM-only variants.Siri AI, arriving in beta with iOS 27, can use information from messages, emails and photographs to answer questions and perform tasks. However, availability will initially vary by language and region, while some cloud-based AI functions will carry daily usage limits.Apple also unveiled Watch Ultra 4 at Rs 1,09,900. It adds a readiness score, more frequent heart-rate and HRV measurements, and battery life of up to 50 hours. Its audio intelligence features will arrive in beta later this year.
