The folding iPhone Duo is finally here | The Vergecast Livestream

Summary of The folding iPhone Duo is finally here | The Vergecast Livestream

by The Verge

1h 0m•September 9, 2026
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Overview of The Vergecast Livestream

The Verge’s live post-event episode breaks down Apple’s latest hardware launch, headlined by the long-rumored iPhone Duo, Apple’s first folding iPhone. The hosts and on-the-ground reporters discuss how Apple’s foldable compares to Samsung and other Android foldables, the first impressions from hands-on demos, and the broader implications of Apple’s software, camera, watch, and audio updates. The conversation also covers a notable CEO transition moment for John Ternus, who appears to be leading his first major Apple event.

What Apple Announced

Major product lineup

  • iPhone Duo: Apple’s first foldable phone.
  • iPhone 18 Pro / Pro Max: New pro iPhones with a variable aperture camera and other incremental upgrades.
  • Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4: New watches with upgraded sensors and AI/audio-related features.
  • AirPods 5: Refreshed AirPods lineup with ANC now more central.
  • A new Apple CEO moment: John Ternus is framed as the company’s new public face.

iPhone Duo: Apple’s Foldable Arrives

Design and hardware

  • The iPhone Duo follows the now-familiar passport-style foldable design, resembling Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold form factor.
  • It features:
    • a 5.4-inch outer display
    • a 7.6-inch inner display
  • The phone is described as thin, polished, and highly refined, with Apple’s usual emphasis on fit, finish, and smooth hardware behavior.
  • The inner display is matte / nanotexture, which wasn’t obvious from the keynote video.
  • The crease is very hard to see in person, though you can feel it.
  • Apple says the inner screen supports the Apple Pencil/stylus, though hands-on demos of that were not shown.

First impressions

  • Reporters describe it as the most polished foldable Apple has shown, but still recognizably a foldable with some hardware compromises.
  • The outer screen feels like a smaller iPhone when folded.
  • The unfolded experience feels more distinct than just “an iPad in your pocket,” largely because Apple has reworked the interface.

Software: Where Apple Seems to Differ Most

iOS for foldables

  • The biggest distinction may be software, not hardware.
  • Apple redesigned key UI elements for the Duo:
    • dock
    • status bar
    • Dynamic Island behavior
    • controls shifting into a right-side rail
  • The goal is to make the experience feel consistent whether folded or unfolded.

Multitasking

  • Apple’s multitasking approach is still described as more basic than some Android foldables.
  • The Duo mostly shows two apps side by side.
  • Some of the gestures and hidden UI flows were not immediately intuitive in the demo.
  • The hosts compare it to iPad multitasking from a few years ago, not the more advanced multitasking on some Android devices.

App ecosystem advantage

  • Apple is expected to push developers harder than Android OEMs can, which could make foldables matter more now that Apple is in the category.
  • Even though foldables remain a tiny share of the market, Apple’s entry may finally convince major apps to optimize seriously.

Camera and Biometrics on the iPhone Duo

Camera setup

  • The Duo’s cameras are positioned more as a standard iPhone experience than a true Pro-level camera system.
  • Apple’s strategy seems to be:
    • the Duo for a foldable iPhone experience
    • the Pro models for users who care most about camera and battery performance

Under-display camera and Touch ID

  • The Duo uses an under-display camera on the inside screen.
  • It also brings back Touch ID instead of Face ID.
  • The fingerprint sensor is meant to work naturally when the device is folded.
  • Apple said users can enroll multiple fingers, and it can pair with the Apple Watch for authentication convenience.

Camera usage

  • Apple is clearly encouraging users to use:
    • the outer front camera for quick selfies/video calls
    • the rear cameras for the best-quality selfies when the device is unfolded

Apple Watch: Bigger Health Sensing, Always-On Audio

Sensor upgrades

  • The new Apple Watch models feature a significantly upgraded sensor array:
    • more densely packed optical sensors
    • improved ECG-related hardware
    • better skin contact and potentially better measurement accuracy
  • The hosts note this may improve health tracking consistency and could matter more for future features.

AI and audio recording concerns

  • The most controversial watch feature is an always-on transcription / audio-summary capability.
  • The watch can listen in the background and allow a 15-second rewind using the crown.
  • Concerns discussed:
    • privacy
    • legal issues
    • whether a wrist-worn mic can accurately capture real-world conversations
  • Reporter V emphasizes that transcription wearables often struggle with:
    • multiple speakers
    • ambient noise
    • incorrect context

iPhone 18 Pro: Small Upgrade, Interesting Camera Changes

Variable aperture lens

  • The iPhone 18 Pro introduces a variable aperture main camera, something Android flagships have experimented with for years.
  • The hosts note:
    • this is not a brand-new concept in phones
    • it may help with depth of field and more natural-looking portrait effects
    • it may not matter much in auto mode unless conditions are bright enough to justify it

Pro controls

  • Apple is giving users more manual camera control, including:
    • shutter speed
    • aperture
    • white balance
    • expanded photographic styles
  • This makes the Pro phones feel more like serious creative tools, even if only a small percentage of users will exploit the full feature set.

Apple’s camera authenticity push

  • A standout feature is Apple’s new photo verification / authenticity system.
  • The company claims the main sensor can digitally sign images in a way that proves the photo was taken on an iPhone.
  • The team sees this as a potentially major anti-deepfake / anti-AI-image feature, especially for journalists and professional users.

Pricing and Apple’s Strategy

Price increases

  • The iPhone Pro models are $100 more expensive than last year.
  • The hosts also noticed that older iPhone models on Apple’s site quietly increased by $100 as well.
  • This appears tied to broader component cost pressure, especially RAM / memory price increases.

AirPods pricing

  • The new AirPods 5 are more aggressively priced than expected:
    • base model: $129
    • upgraded model: $149
  • ANC is now a standard expectation, even at lower price points.
  • The AirPods strategy seems aimed at staying competitive in a crowded market, not just relying on Apple loyalty.

Biggest Takeaways

  • Apple is finally in foldables, and the iPhone Duo looks polished enough to make the category feel mainstream.
  • The software may matter more than the hardware for Apple’s foldable success.
  • The new Apple Watch audio/transcription feature is one of the most controversial launches because of privacy and accuracy concerns.
  • The iPhone 18 Pro is less flashy than the Duo, but its camera and authenticity features could be important.
  • Apple is clearly positioning itself around hardware + software trust, especially around photography, health, and AI-powered features.

Bottom Line

This Vergecast livestream frames Apple’s event as more than “just another product launch.” The iPhone Duo is the headline, but the deeper story is Apple rethinking how phones, watches, and cameras should behave in an AI-heavy, foldable, privacy-sensitive era. The hosts are impressed by the polish, skeptical about some of the hidden complexity, and especially interested in whether Apple’s influence will finally make foldables and on-device verification features feel inevitable rather than niche.