Apple’s September 9 product launch has triggered a wave of excitement, criticism and memes online, with the company unveiling its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. The event also offered a first look at how new CEO John Ternus plans to steer Apple in the AI era.
While tech enthusiasts quickly analysed the new features, the price of the iPhone Duo became the biggest talking point in India. Starting at ₹2,99,900 for 256GB, the foldable phone sparked a flood of memes, with users joking about EMIs, salaries and the familiar “kidney” jokes.
Social Media Reacts
Users poked fun at the “Duo” name, with some suggesting buyers would need “two incomes” to afford it. Duolingo joined the banter, joking that Apple had named a phone after its mascot and “made it bend over.”
🇺🇸 Americans after iPhone launch: “Should I upgrade?”
🇮🇳 Indians: “Bhai Dubai mein kitne ka hai?”
— Prayag (@theprayagtiwari) September 9, 2026
iPhone Duo Hand
$1,999: $399: pic.twitter.com/RumW9s1BF8— Not Jerome Powell (@alifarhat79) September 9, 2026
they named a phone after me and made it bend over 😭 pic.twitter.com/ouC7qtEaVF
— Duolingo (@duolingo) September 9, 2026
Others compared the price with a Royal Enfield Himalayan, while IT workers joked about their annual salaries being weighed against the cost of one phone.
₹4,50,000 for Foldable iPhone? 😳
–#iPhoneDuo #Apple #iPhone18 #iphone pic.twitter.com/d6KHsF26Pt
— Ankit Uttam (@ankituttam) September 10, 2026
Samsung also joined the online trolling, taking a dig at Apple for entering the foldable market years after its Galaxy Fold series.
I'm so sorry, @DuoLingo. They copied us too #Solidarity
— Samsung Mobile US (@SamsungMobileUS) September 9, 2026
iPhone Duo
The Duo opens into a 7.6-inch display and has a 5.4-inch outer screen, supporting multitasking and Apple Pencil use. It is powered by the A20 Pro chip, uses Touch ID in the side button and offers storage of up to 2TB. Apple calls it its thinnest iPhone when opened.
Overall, the internet verdict remains mixed, some says the technology has impressed, but the ₹3-lakh price has stolen the show.
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