Apple recently unveiled iPhone Duo, its first foldable smartphone and also the most expensive one. Just as tech enthusiasts were digesting the hefty price tag, a custom luxury edition has hit the market for a mind-boggling $21,000 (approximately Rs 20 lakh).
The standard Apple iPhone Duo was recently unveiled with a starting price of $1,999 (around Rs 2,99,900 in India). The passport-style folding design, which opens up from a 5.4-inch outer display to a 7.6-inch inner tablet display, has already intrigued customers.
Now, a high-end customisation brand, Caviar, has taken the design a step further by crafting an ultra-premium variant. The price mentioned on its official website clearly suggests that the upgraded version is strictly meant for billionaires and high-profile collectors.
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The device, described as 'Liquid Metal', is crafted entirely from sterling silver. The luxury brand says that sterling silver is shaped into a sculptural relief and finished with a mirror polish.
"The surface evokes metal frozen in motion, while shifting reflections enhance the depth and fluidity of the form," it added.
It is a limited edition, as according to Caviar, just 17 pieces have been created in total.
Photo Credit: Caviar
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While Apple engineered the standard iPhone Duo with a titanium frame and a complex hinge mechanism, the luxury makeover replaces standard elements with stunning customisations.
As per the luxury brand, the inspirations came after seeing the way the iPhone Duo folds open. "The design continues the idea of transformation embodied by the foldable iPhone Duo, turning the smartphone into a seamless metallic composition," it explained.
"Fluid sculptural lines emphasise its new form factor and create a sense of continuous motion, as if the surface itself transforms together with the device."
Photo Credit: Caviar
The 256GB version is $18,840, the 512GB version is $19,200, and the 1TB version is $19,910. The 2TB version is priced at $21 340.
According to an old report by MacRumors, Apple is also developing liquid metal for future iPhone Pro frames. The media outlet cited a Weibo post by leaker Instant Digital, who argues that Apple's switch from titanium to aluminium is apparently a temporary solution, and that it continues to work on the use of liquid metal to solve the issue of thermal conductivity.
