Apple CEO John Ternus discusses the development of the iPhone Duo in interviews connected to TIME’s “Best Inventions of 2026” coverage. He says Apple deliberately waited to get key design and manufacturing details right, contrasting the iPhone Duo with earlier foldable phones that he described as feeling “kind of cheap and crappy.” He also frames the iPhone Duo as a premium product with a minimally noticeable display crease.
Ternus, who became Apple’s CEO on September 1, is portrayed across outlets as emphasizing long planning and confidence in innovation. One report says he and fellow engineers filed a patent related to foldable devices in 2011, anticipating that OLED displays would become flexible. Multiple outlets also note the timing of the iPhone Duo reveal shortly after his appointment, along with pre-order availability.
Outlets vary mainly in emphasis: some focus on his quoted criticism of earlier foldables, others highlight Apple’s longer timeline through patents and internal planning, and others focus on his TIME cover feature and comments about Tim Cook’s continued role as executive chairman.
