John Ternus unveils Apple's first foldable iPhone at annual showcase

John Ternus, Apple’s new chief executive, opened the company’s annual product event and introduced the company’s first foldable iPhone, named the iPhone Duo.

At the Cupertino event, Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo alongside upgrades to standard iPhones, AirPods and Apple Watch. Ternus produced the Duo from his back pocket while speaking and displayed it to the audience.

Ternus described the Duo as set to “redefine the experience of using a foldable phone” and positioned it as an enhancement to the iPhone lineup rather than a revolutionary break similar to Apple’s 2007 original iPhone launch.

Ternus has worked at Apple since 2001, became vice‑president of hardware engineering in 2013, and by 2021 was leading the hardware organization. Apple announced in April that Ternus would succeed Tim Cook; after the appointment Ternus said he was “profoundly grateful” to carry Apple’s mission forward.

Commentators noted aspects of Ternus’s profile: he has kept a low public profile, is known for a calm manner and attention to detail. Bob O’Donnell, president and chief analyst at Technalysis Research, called the event and the Duo launch a symbolic start to a new era of products under Ternus. Forrester principal analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee said inheriting Cook’s legacy will be both a boon and a burden and that the first keynote will set the tone for Ternus’s vision.