A red foldable render briefly appeared, showing Apple’s first foldable iPhone, but it was not an Apple product. Evan Blass posted the images on X on August 26 and 27, showing a book-style foldable in several colors, including red.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman later disputed the images, saying the red render had been taken from Xiaomi. Apple has since officially unveiled its first foldable iPhone as the iPhone Duo, which comes in Night Sky and Star White.
The red renders shared by Evan Blass were not images of Apple’s foldable. Mark Gurman disputed their authenticity and said the red render came from Xiaomi.
Apple has since unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone. The official device is available in Night Sky and Star White, rather than the red or green finishes shown in the disputed renders.
Why did the renders fool people?
The renders looked polished enough to resemble pre-launch marketing material, with realistic hardware, lighting, and color options. Their appearance helped them attract attention after Evan Blass posted them.
Some observers also pointed to details of the software interface as reasons to question the images. Those clues, however, could not establish who created the renders or whether they were AI-assisted.
The episode shows why polished product renders should be checked against multiple sources before being treated as evidence of unreleased hardware.
Xiaomi appears to be the source
Mark Gurman said the red render shared by Evan Blass had been taken from Xiaomi rather than representing Apple’s foldable.
Apple has since officially unveiled the iPhone Duo, making it possible to distinguish the disputed render from the company’s actual product. The episode also shows why the origin of a leaked image matters when evaluating claims about unreleased hardware.
Apple’s first foldable is now official
Apple unveiled its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, at its September 9, 2026, event at the Steve Jobs Theater. The device has a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display and starts at $1,999.
The iPhone Duo uses a book-style folding design and runs iOS 27. Apple says it is the thinnest iPhone when open and has a titanium frame and hinge cover. It will be available beginning October 23.
Apple’s iPhone Duo has a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display. Apple says the open device has the largest iPhone display ever and is the thinnest iPhone when open.
The phone uses a Grade 5 titanium frame and hinge cover. Apple also says the hinge is designed for long-term reliability and the device is IP68 water- and dust-resistant.
Touch ID is part of Apple’s foldable
Apple’s iPhone Duo uses Touch ID rather than Face ID, with the fingerprint sensor built into the side button. The phone has a 48MP Dual Fusion rear camera system with 48MP Fusion Main and 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide cameras.
Apple also lists a 12MP Center Stage front camera and an under-display FaceTime camera. The Duo’s foldable design uses a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display.
The camera tradeoff could surprise buyers
Apple’s iPhone Duo does not have a dedicated telephoto camera. Instead, its 48MP Dual Fusion camera system combines a 48MP Fusion Main and a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera, offering up to 2x optical-quality zoom.
The Duo uses Apple’s A20 Pro chip and a dual-battery system. Apple does not publish a battery capacity in milliamp-hours in its official specifications.
Little-known fact: The September 9 event was the first major Apple keynote led by John Ternus as CEO after he succeeded Tim Cook on September 1, 2026.
TL;DR
- The viral red iPhone renders were not Apple’s final foldable design. Mark Gurman reported that the red render came from Xiaomi.
- Apple unveiled its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, on September 9, 2026.
- The iPhone Duo has a 5.4-inch outer display, a 7.6-inch inner display, Touch ID, an A20 Pro chip, and a 48MP Dual Fusion camera system.
- Apple offers the iPhone Duo in Night Sky and Star White. It starts at $1,999 and will be available beginning October 23.
- The Duo uses a Grade 5 titanium frame and hinge cover and offers 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage options.
This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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