Apple CEO John Ternus Calls Rival Foldables 'Cheap & Crappy' As iPhone Duo Pre-Orders Open
· Free Press Journal
Apple chief executive John Ternus has said that earlier foldable phones from other companies felt 'cheap and crappy', explaining why Apple waited years before launching its own, the iPhone Duo. He made the remark in an interview, which features him on the cover of its Best Inventions of 2026 issue. The Duo starts at Rs. 2,99,900 in India, with pre-booking opening today at 5.30pm IST.
What did Ternus say exactly?
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Ternus told TIME that the early foldables he saw in the 2010s did not impress him. Those phones tended to be fragile and not very useful, with a prominent crease running through the display. His comment was about those early attempts and not a verdict on every foldable currently on sale.
iPhone Duo: 10 Things You Need To Know Before You Pre-Order It In IndiaYears of groundwork
Apple's interest in the category goes back more than a decade. Ternus and five other Apple engineers filed a patent application for foldable electronic devices in 2011, covering components such as batteries and circuit boards. Ternus said it seemed clear to him then that OLED displays would eventually become flexible.
Why Apple held back
Apple chose not to rush into the market and wanted to resolve the problems that dogged early foldables, namely durability concerns and the visible crease where the screen bends.
Display and software changes
To reduce the crease and smooth the experience, Apple developed a new display engine built on advances in its own silicon, designed to make switching between the inner and outer screens more fluid. The company has also adjusted iOS for the foldable form, moving some key controls to the right side of the interface so they are easier to reach with a thumb. Early users found the crease barely noticeable, though independent durability testing is still pending.
Price and availability
The iPhone Duo starts at Rs. 2,99,900 in India. Pre-booking opens on October 16, and sales begin on October 23. Buyers can book through Apple's online store, authorised retailers and other online and offline platforms.