It turns out that Apple's decision to name its first foldable the "iPhone Duo" rather than the heavily rumoured "iPhone Ultra" was a deliberate strategy. New information suggests that Apple is indeed working on an Ultra or a similar "Max" variant of the Duo with a larger screen.
The information arrives from Mark Gurman, who explains in his Power On newsletter that the iPhone Ultra that Apple employees had been previously referring to could be an upcoming iPhone Duo variant called iPhone Duo Max.
According to him, the Cupertino giant ultimately went for "Duo" because the three-letter suffix mirrors established naming conventions like "Pro" and "Air". More importantly, it leaves a bit of leeway for future model names with modifiers that would have sounded awkward if paired with "Ultra".
Therefore, Gurman anticipates that, building on the success of the iPhone Duo, the iPhone Duo Max would use a significantly larger display. Not only that, but the product roadmap could also include a budget iPhone "Duo SE" alongside an iPhone "Duo Mini" featuring a compact, clamshell design.
As for the current iPhone Fold, Gurman calls it about the Duo clinching the throne as the best-selling foldable smartphone globally. He adds that the combination of durability, premium hardware and software could act as catalysts to make foldables the new norm.
Looking Beyond Wide Foldables
Naming conventions are foundational for a brand when entering new product spaces, and in Apple's case, iPhone Duo makes perfect sense. In one of our recent conversations at Beebom, we sparked a discussion about what Apple could call Duo's successor, and we hit it too close to home.
That is because it ended with me settling on the Duo Pro and Duo Pro Max, and it appears I just needed direction. More than the Duo Max, though, what I'm more interested in after this Gurman reveal is the Duo SE and Duo Mini. Especially the Mini, which may compete with Samsung's Z Flip series.
Or, considering Apple chose a wide passport-style foldable, it would be interesting to see if the brand follows the same approach for its clamshell foldable. Something like the Huawei Pura X would indeed interest users.
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