Apple’s first foldable iPhone will open for pre-orders in the UAE on October 16 at 4pm, with the device priced from Dh8,499. The iPhone Duo is due to reach customers on October 23, marking the first major iPhone launch under John Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook as Apple chief executive on September 1.
The foldable iPhone was unveiled at Apple’s September 9 “Surprise and shine” event. The invitation featured a thin line cutting through the Apple logo, which was later revealed to represent the folding design.
Much of the device’s hardware had already emerged through leaks before the launch. The iPhone Duo has a passport-style design, a 7.6-inch internal display and a 5.4-inch external screen. It uses two 48-megapixel cameras and does not include a dedicated telephoto camera.
Apple has also replaced Face ID with Touch ID built into the side button. The device is the company’s most expensive iPhone to date, with its UAE price broadly matching forecasts that had placed it between Dh8,500 and Dh9,800.
One area where expectations remain less certain is the display crease. Reports before the launch suggested Apple had worked to make the fold almost invisible. Apple has instead described a matte nano-texture finish designed to make the crease less noticeable, without claiming that it has eliminated it.
The internal display could also leave some unused space when watching standard widescreen video. Its 1:1.4 aspect ratio means 16:9 content will still appear with black bars, although the effect is expected to be less pronounced than on some squarer foldable phones.
App compatibility may also be an issue when the device first arrives. Some applications could display with unused space until developers update them for the new screen format.
Apple’s artificial intelligence features have another limitation for UAE users. Siri AI is currently available as an English-language beta, while Apple Intelligence supports 16 languages. Arabic is not included among the supported languages.
Apple Pencil support is also expected later this year rather than at launch. Some cloud-based AI features may have daily usage limits, with Apple indicating that expanded access could eventually be offered for a fee.
Supply could be another challenge. Analyst Jeff Pu has reportedly lowered his estimate for Apple’s 2026 iPhone Duo shipments to six million units from seven million, citing production constraints involving the hinge.
The UAE is among more than 70 countries included in the first launch wave. Apple is offering trade-in credits of up to Dh3,260 for eligible older iPhones.
The iPhone Duo is eSIM-only. While all UAE network operators support eSIM technology, international travellers who normally purchase physical SIM cards after arriving in a country will need a compatible travel eSIM instead.
