Apple’s first foldable iPhone uses an unusual dual-battery architecture, placing a high-energy battery on each side of the device to make better use of the available internal space.
Apple says the two batteries work together as a single power source through energy rebalancing algorithms, helping iPhone Duo deliver what the company describes as all-day battery life despite powering two displays.
Battery figures vary depending on which screen is being used. Apple rates iPhone Duo for up to 31 hours of video playback when using its 7.6-inch inner display.
Using the smaller 5.4-inch outer display increases Apple’s quoted video playback figure to as much as 44 hours. When usage is divided equally between the inner and outer screens, Apple says users can expect up to 24 hours of typical usage per charge.
iPhone Duo also supports fast charging. With appropriate wired charging equipment, Apple says the battery can reach 50 percent in around 20 minutes.
MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging are supported too, with Apple quoting approximately 30 minutes to reach 50 percent wirelessly when using compatible equipment.
Battery capacity has influenced other parts of the phone’s design. iPhone Duo is eSIM-only worldwide, with Apple saying removing the physical SIM hardware helps free internal space that can instead be used to maximize battery capacity.
The device is powered by Apple’s A20 Pro chip and includes a custom vapor chamber to manage heat during sustained workloads such as gaming, multitasking and on-device AI processing.
iPhone Duo launches on October 23 and starts at $1,999 in the United States.