In an interview published October 12, Apple’s thermal-design manager Banafsheh Barabadi told PCMag that a flexible graphite pipe transfers heat between iPhone Duo’s halves through its hinge. [1]
A thermal link that has to keep moving
Apple’s thermal and mechanical teams developed the part together. Barabadi says it must maintain both heat transfer and structural integrity through repeated folding. PCMag also reports that Duo uses a thinner vapor chamber that floats inside the device; the chamber in iPhone 18 Pro models forms part of their supporting structure. [1]
The practical question for readers is how that design behaves during a long gaming session or video recording. A folding phone gives reviewers more conditions to compare: open, closed and partly folded, with workload, brightness and room temperature held consistent. Those comparisons would help establish how much the device’s position matters in use.
The performance claim still needs context
Apple’s September announcement claims iPhone Duo delivers up to 35 percent better sustained performance than iPhone 17 Pro. It attributes the result to A20 Pro working with the phone’s thermal system and says the chip package connects directly to a custom vapor chamber. The release does not specify a benchmark methodology for that figure. [2]
PCMag explicitly says it had not yet tested A20 Pro in iPhone Duo. [1] Its interview explains the engineering intent, while the next useful evidence for buyers would be measured performance over time, surface temperatures and battery use under specified conditions. Long-term folding tests would address a separate durability question.
The timing gives prospective buyers a chance to look for those results: Apple opens preorders on October 16 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, with initial availability on October 23. The U.S. starting price is $1,999. [2]
Sources
Eric Zeman, PCMag, October 12, 2026 · Syndicated on Yahoo Tech
Apple Newsroom, “Apple unveils iPhone Duo,” September 9, 2026
