Apple users warned they could be making $1,499 mistake by skipping on this feature
15 years after Apple first filed general patents for foldable display concepts, the tech giant's first folding iPhone is finally here. With so many leaks and rumors, the long-awaited reveal of a folding phone took the 'surprise' out of September 2026's 'Surprise and shine' event.
While the run-up to the big reveal of Apple's next family of phones pencilled in the 'iPhone Ultra' for 2026, we now know it's the folding iPhone Duo we'll soon be holding in our hands. The rest of the leaks were on the money, with a wafer-thin device that will be just 5.2 mm when unfolded and 11.3 mm when closed. Despite a lofty price tag, wannabe iPhone Duo converts are being warned against making a costly $1,499 mistake ahead of the device's October pre-order window.
You can pre-order the iPhone Duo on the below sites:
How much does the iPhone Duo cost?
Alongside Apple's determination to deliver the thinnest iPhone yet, it's thought that struggles with its Liquid Metal hinge, trying to hide the crease, have led to delays. This means Apple's first folding phone comes some seven years after Samsung launched the Galaxy Fold, so let's hope it's worth the wait.
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Thanks to the likes of President Donald Trump's trade tariffs and the rising cost of chips during RAMageddon, fears that new iPhones are costing more than ever were correct. There's no affordable iPhone launching in 2026, with the Phone 18 Pro starting at $1,199.
This is a substantial leap from the 16 Pro launching at $999 in 2024, so we were right to brace for the Duo's price tag.
The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for the 256GB version, climbing to $2,199 for 512GB, $2,599 for 1TB, and $3,199 for 2TB. Paying over $3,000 for a mobile phone is truly shocking for most, but be warned that the real cost could actually be much more if you're a bit of a klutz.
Apple customers warned not to skip AppleCare+
With the iPhone Duo costing so much money, potential customers on Reddit have reiterated that we could be about to flush a further $1,500 down the drain. While some think insurance is the biggest scam around, you're being implored to stump up the extra $19.99 a month/$199.99 a year for AppleCare+.
Apple has officially revealed the repair costs for iPhone Duo models that don't have AppleCare+. If your phone is covered, something like fixing the inner display is $99. That might seem extortionate when you're already paying for coverage, but considering that will set you back $999 without AppleCare+, is it worth taking the risk?
A full list of repairs without AppleCare+ is as follows:
Cover layer damage: $49
Back glass damage: $199
Battery service: $229
Rear camera damage: $229
Outer display damage: $379
Outer display and back glass damage: $509
Inner display damage: $999
Other damage: $1,499
Redditors quickly made their feelings clear in the replies, with one person adding: "I can’t imagine buying a folding phone without any kind of insurance—unless you’re rich enough to buy a new one whenever you want."
Another said: "I was never an AppleCare guy, but if I get a Duo I’m getting the best AppleCare money can buy. It’s first-gen tech."
A third looked at the bigger picture as they turned their back on the Duo entirely and concluded: "The amount of money I’ll save by simply not buying it is enormous."
Others noted that AppleCare+ isn't even available in all the countries the Duo is launching in, so it's not as simple to keep your shiny and new bit of tech looking as shiny and new as it did when it came out of the box.