Apple executive John Ternus made his debut appearance as the company’s CEO during the company’s annual product event Wednesday, touting new AI tools and a new foldable iPhone.
The foldable model, iPhone Duo, has a screen size when unfolded that is 80% larger than that of the current Pro model and 50% larger than the Max edition. Entertainment content and gaming were featured extensively during the pre-taped event, which even included a shout-out to the ways that Netflix is optimizing its streaming app for use on the Duo.
The Duo, priced at $1,999, will be available for pre-orders on October 16, hitting retail stores the following week.
Ternus said the Duo “reflects what’s possible when we bring our very best teams together.” The initial impetus for it, he said, was the notion that “a larger display would open up entirely new possibilities” – though “at the same time, you still want to fit in your pocket, and in the palm of your hand.”
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The Duo’s size when folded was likened to the dimensions of a passport. “Others have created foldables that just feel like two phones awkwardly stuck together,” Ternus said. Those devices from the likes of Samsung or Huawei end up with a square screen and black bars when videos play, “making a larger screen feel much smaller.”
The 25-minute tour covered every aspect of the Duo took up about one-third of the product event.
Prior to the big reveal at the end, Ternus appeared to gesture to the longtime chatter on Wall Street and in the tech community about the company’s approach to AI. In contrast with large-scale rivals Meta, Microsoft and Google, Apple has been unwilling to go all-in on AI, voicing concerns about customer privacy. At the same time, it has introduced Apple Intelligence, incorporating it and other AI tools across its product portfolio.
“Trust only goes so far when your data is no longer yours to control,” Ternus said. “That’s why Apple Intelligence runs on device whenever it can. When greater capability is needed, private cloud compute extends that same level of privacy protection, ensuring that nobody – not even Apple – can access what’s yours. It’s personal intelligence that’s actually personal.”
The iPhone, he continued, “sits at the center of an amazing ecosystem of intelligent features and experiences that work seamlessly across the products you use every day.”
Ternus succeeded Tim Cook on September 1, several months after the drama-free disclosure of the changing of the guard. Cook, who is now EVP of the Apple board, became CEO in 2011 and earned acclaim for stabilizing and growing the company after an uncertain stretch after Jobs’ death. Both Cook and Ternus were promoted to the top job after long careers as an executive at the company.
While the Apple event always draws global attention, the company years ago adopted a pre-taped approach to the formerly live showcases pioneered by Steve Jobs during his epic run leading the company. (Covid necessitated that format, but it stayed in place given the ability to smooth out any rough patches and avoid glitches.) Ternus did appear live to greet attendees in person at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, CA.
In his recorded remarks, Ternus harked back to the Jobs age, when the iPhone first launched as a new personal “hub” of communication. “Now, if you were designing the ideal version of this hub from scratch, how would you do it?” Ternus said. “First, you would want something that is always with you, deeply personal, and able to bring intelligence to the moments when it matters most,” Ternus said.
Teasing the full showcase, he said it would cover innovations “from Siri becoming more capable and more personal across your Apple products, to meaningful health insights with Apple Watch. to powerful new AirPods features like live translation, and so much more.”
The iPhone 18, he added, “brings powerful AI capabilities together with your personal context on the device you have with you all the time. So today, we’re going to take these experiences even further with the next generation of iPhone.”
