(PHOTO) Apple Installs Giant iPhone Duo Displays at Four Flagship Stores Ahead of Friday Foldable Launch

Apple has installed oversized promotional displays of its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, at four of its flagship retail locations ahead of the device's launch on Friday. The installations appeared at Apple Fifth Avenue in New York City, Apple Covent Garden in London, Apple BKC in Mumbai, and Apple Jing'an in Shanghai.

The displays feature mirrored finishes and glowing edges, and they show the iPhone Duo in several positions that Apple refers to as poses. Structures matching the installations were previously spotted under protective wrapping and covers at the Fifth Avenue store. Apple hardware executive John Ternus shared a photograph of the completed installation at the Jing'an store on his Weibo account, revealing the outdoor arrangement on the store's plaza.

The timing aligns with the start of sales for the iPhone Duo. Pre-orders opened on Oct. 16, and the device becomes available on Oct. 23. Apple has said its stores in the United States and select other countries will have limited quantities available for walk-in customers on launch day. In some markets, including mainland China, France, and Japan, customers must reserve a pickup time online. Reports citing Bloomberg's Mark Gurman indicated that the Fifth Avenue store is expected to receive more than 150 units for demonstrations and displays, compared with roughly 20 units at typical non-flagship locations. Special fixtures are also planned to demonstrate the folding mechanism, including stands that show the device opening and closing alongside conventional iPhones for size comparison.

Apple introduced the iPhone Duo on Sept. 9 as its first foldable iPhone. When open, the device is described as the thinnest iPhone ever, with a 7.6-inch inner Super Retina XDR display that is 50 percent larger than the screen on the iPhone 18 Pro Max. When closed, it has a 5.4-inch outer display that provides about 90 percent of the screen area of the iPhone 18 Pro. Both screens share the same aspect ratio so content scales consistently. The inner display includes a nano-texture finish intended to reduce glare and minimize the visibility of the crease.

The phone is made from grade 5 titanium with a mirror-polished finish and is available in star white and night sky colors. It includes a precision hinge built from more than 100 components, Ceramic Shield protection, an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, and a new A20 Pro chip with a vapor chamber for thermal management. Touch ID is integrated into the side button, and a FaceTime camera sits beneath the inner display. Apple said the design allows new camera features, such as using the outer screen to preview shots taken with the rear cameras.

In the company's announcement, Ternus said: "iPhone Duo is the most transformational change to iPhone since the original. With an entirely new design and intuitive experiences, it shows what's possible when hardware and software are engineered together and redefines what it means to use a foldable phone. With the largest display ever on iPhone that still fits easily in your pocket, combined with the power of A20 Pro, iPhone Duo helps you stay more immersed and productive wherever you go, whether you're enjoying content, multitasking across apps, or gaming."

iOS 27 has been adapted for the form factor, with interface elements shifted to the sides of the screen and support for side-by-side multitasking when the device is open. Later in the year, the iPhone Duo is expected to support Apple Pencil with USB-C. The starting price in the United States is $1,999 for the 256-gigabyte model.

The large outdoor displays continue Apple's practice of marking major product launches with temporary installations at high-profile stores. In previous years, the company has used colored lighting on the Fifth Avenue glass cube and installed large-scale models of earlier iPhone models. The current installations are limited to four locations worldwide and appear intended to highlight the foldable design and the different ways the device can be positioned.

Demand has been strong enough that some online delivery estimates have moved into 2027, according to reports. Apple has not published official sales figures for the pre-order period. Retail staff at some stores have been instructed to tell customers that walk-in stock is expected to be limited or unavailable on launch day for those without pre-orders, according to accounts published by MacRumors.

The four installations coincide with broader preparations inside the stores, including additional demo units and interactive fixtures. The outdoor displays at Jing'an, as shown in the photograph shared by Ternus, occupy the plaza in front of the store and are large enough to serve as photo backdrops for visitors. Similar setups are expected to be fully visible at the other three locations by launch day.

Apple has not released a detailed public description of the dimensions or materials used in the oversized displays beyond the visual elements captured in the shared photograph and earlier on-site images. The company has also not commented publicly on the specific choice of the four stores. The locations are among Apple's most prominent retail sites in major cities across North America, Europe, India, and China.

The iPhone Duo launch marks Apple's entry into the foldable smartphone category after years of development. Competitors including Samsung have offered foldable devices for several years, but Apple's version emphasizes a thinner closed profile, matching aspect ratios on both screens, and integration with its existing software and services. The company has positioned the product as combining a large inner display with pocketable dimensions when closed.

Customers interested in seeing the device in person can visit the four stores with the outdoor installations or other Apple retail locations that will have demonstration units. Availability for purchase on Friday is expected to be constrained, and Apple has advised checking online for pickup reservations in markets where walk-in purchases are restricted. The oversized displays are temporary promotional elements tied to the launch period and are not expected to remain in place indefinitely.