Apple’s first foldable: Is the iPhone Duo worth rumoured R50k price tag? - IOL

Apple’s new foldable iPhone Duo promises high status at a rumored R50,000 price tag, but camera and battery compromises make the iPhone 18 Pro the smarter pick for most South Africans. Picture: Apple

Apple has officially jumped into the foldable arena with the debut of the iPhone Duo. While local South African pricing and exact release dates are still to be confirmed, rumours suggest it could land around an eye-watering R50,000.

The question is simple: who is this expensive piece of tech actually for?

Unless you’re looking to show off, the iPhone Duo isn’t for the average consumer—and quite frankly, it’s hardly for anyone.

When it comes to pure utility, the Duo asks users to pay more for less performance compared to Apple’s standard flagship lineup.

When you weigh the price against the daily user experience, the traditional flagship lineup comes out way ahead.

If you just want to get things done, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max remain the vastly superior options. They offer better performance, superior camera systems, and reliable battery life. Unless you have money to burn and desperately want to show off a device no one else has, skip the Duo and stick with the Pro.

* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL.

** JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Send us an email with your comments, thoughts or responses to [email protected]. Letters should be a maximum of 500 words, and may be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Submissions should include a contact number and physical address (not for publication).