Following Apple’s massive hardware reveal, newly appointed CEO John Ternus and marketing chief Greg Joswiak sat down for a joint interview with Tom’s Guide to discuss the company’s first foldable, the iPhone Duo. The extensive conversation offered a fascinating look into Apple’s hardware strategy alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, covering everything from design philosophy and industry criticism to the logic behind that staggering $1,999 price tag.
Calling out ‘cheap-feeling plastic’ displays
Tom’s Guide asked why Apple waited so long to enter the foldable market while rivals like Samsung and Google built multiple device generations. Ternus made it clear that existing hardware simply failed to meet Apple’s internal design standards.
“If you’ve seen what’s been out there, not only is it just kind of cheap-feeling plastic surfaces, they don’t feel good to touch, they’re kind of wavy, wrinkly,” Ternus noted during the interview.
To solve that polymer display issue, Apple engineered a custom nano-texture finish directly over the top screen layer. Ternus emphasized that “The nano-texture just wipes that all out. It’s beautifully flat. It feels amazing to touch and it’s incredibly durable.” Beyond display materials, Joswiak highlighted the device’s wide 1:1.4 aspect ratio. He argued that competing devices often feel like two separate phones “awkwardly stuck together” (via MacRumors).
Secret codenames and developer prep
Keeping a flagship foldable like the iPhone Duo hidden in 2026 is no easy feat. Joswiak admitted he was “super proud” of how tight security remained throughout development.
“We put the extra security on it. We didn’t talk about it to anybody. We had a very funny code name, which I won’t even repeat, that had nothing to do with it,” Joswiak shared. While leakers managed to guess the aspect ratio ahead of the announcement, the actual hardware design remained locked down until the keynote presentation.
Apple also took an unusual step by bringing key third-party developers behind closed doors months in advance. The company wants top apps like Zoom, Slack, and Netflix fully optimized for the new dual-screen interface before customer shipments begin. This approach mirrors the deliberate developer lead time Apple famously used when launching the original iPad back in 2010.
Defending the $1,999 price tag, “It’s like two products”
The executives also addressed the elephant in the room—the $1,999 starting price. Both maintained that the hardware delivers enough utility to warrant the investment for power users.
“Yes, it’s more expensive than the other phones, but we think it’s great value,” Ternus said regarding the premium cost. Joswiak added a more direct perspective, stating, “It’s called iPhone Duo for a reason. It’s like two products.”
For buyers willing to shell out two grand for a hybrid device that aims to replace both an iPhone and an iPad, pre-orders for the iPhone Duo begin Friday, October 16. Official retail availability kicking off on October 23.
You can watch the full interview below:
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