Apple has taken its 'biggest gamble in years' - should you?

Apple has taken its "biggest gamble in years" by launching its first-ever flip phone, according to experts at Uswitch.

The Duo is also its most expensive phone ever, at a starting price of £1,999 - rising to an eye-watering £3,199 for maximum storage.

British customers will be able to pre-order from 1pm on 16 October, with phones available from 23 October.

But is it worth it? We got the view of Uswitch's mobiles expert Ernest Doku, who raised some issues you'll want to read first...

Expensive trade-offs

Being an early adopter of a first-generation model comes with compromises.

"Touch ID instead of Face ID, and a smaller battery than the Pro Max - all at a higher cost. You could get an iPhone 17, an iPad Air and an Apple Watch [combined] for less," says Doku.

Better Apple options?

If you're wedded to Apple and want the latest models, the Duo might not be the best one for you, depending on the specs you're looking for.

"The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max have had a proper upgrade: a faster A20 Pro chip, longer battery life and a main camera that adjusts to let in more or less light, giving far more control over your shots," says Doku.

But the prices have edged up with them, starting at £1,199 and £1,299 - up £100 on last year - due to memory chip scarcity driven by the AI boom.

It all hinges on...

It might be a good idea to head to a brick-and-mortar phone store to test the Duo, given the key to this device is its hardware.

"Apple has clearly spent its first-gen effort on the bit that matters most for a fold: the hinge," says Doku.

"Early looks suggest a genuinely crease-free display, the complaint that's dogged every foldable phone to date, so if it holds up in daily use, that alone could be the difference-maker against Samsung."

The smart play

Apple appears to be changing its launch strategy, bringing its most expensive phones out in autumn and leaving the core models until spring.

"There are smart ways to play it," says Doku.

"The iPhone 17 just became Apple's mainstay for another six months, so unusually for a year-old iPhone, you're not buying something about to be replaced, meaning we may not see networks compete hard on 17 deals this Black Friday.

"If the Duo or Pros have turned your head, get a trade-in quote on your existing device before pre-orders open - values run around 25% higher in the weeks ahead of a launch, which puts more in your pocket towards the cost of an upgrade."

(c) Sky News 2026: Apple has taken its 'biggest gamble in years' - should you?