I don’t yet have the iPhone Duo in my hands. Well, that would be a little difficult considering it isn’t even available for pre-order until October. I have been keen to share my views on it though, as it’s a pretty impressive device for Apple’s first entry into the foldable phone market.
A name nobody saw coming
If you watched the Apple Event last week, you’ll note that they left it until later in the conference before introducing the new iPhone Duo, with one of the biggest surprises being the name. It was heavily rumoured from various sources that the device would be called the iPhone Ultra, so when John Ternus said Duo, everyone was a little taken aback. I thought it was a pretty clever name though, as it represents the two screens.
Design and hardware
I have to say, the device is beautiful, and even though there have been foldable phones on the market for years, Apple knows how to present a device that looks like something pretty special. It has a titanium frame and hinge cover, and the cameras on the back bring a 48MP dual fusion camera system. It runs on the newly announced A20 Pro chip, which is vapour cooled to offer that high performance. It has a dual battery system so they can offer all-day power, which will get you through the busy working day, and nights out. And of course, the all-new Siri AI is well integrated throughout the operating system. I think Apple does software exceptionally well, and you can tell they’ve really thought about it for this device. iOS 27 has been customised on the iPhone Duo, offering an app sidebar, with apps designed in a way that makes them look amazing on the Duo.
The two screens
The two screens are so impressive as well. The outer display lets you do pretty much anything you can do with an iPhone, and if you want more, simply open the phone to the full display. The transition on opening the phone has received positive feedback from critics, as the animation is so seamless. Once opened, the phone has a 50% larger display than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, so that’ll give you an idea of what you’re getting for your money.
iPhone Duo is available in two colours, Night Sky and Star White. Both of which look premium and smart.
The extra features
There are so many nifty features throughout, made possible by the new hardware and software. Here’s a few other things you can do:
StandBy mode, even when the phone isn’t on charge. You can turn your phone into the perfect desk accessory, displaying your clock, calendar, photos or your favourite widgets.
Flexible views - if you’re watching a video, you can watch it on whichever screen suits, with the phone positioned in different ways.
Hands-free FaceTime - iPhone Duo can stand on its own so you don’t need to prop your phone up. You can even open it halfway - sort of like a mini laptop.
The front camera is also under the display for FaceTime and selfies. There are some reports of the quality not being as good, but the technology that covers the camera is impressive.
Smart Take lets you take photos automatically. And thanks to the other display, you can let the person you’re photographing see themselves, helping you get the shot right first time.
For a first-generation device it is brilliant in my opinion. Yes, there will be things they can improve upon, but the excitement that Apple has finally created a device like this is definitely felt throughout the internet. Although some people are pointing out that other foldable phone makers developed more of these features first. I do think iPhone wins on iOS though - it’s one of the most stable and reliable platforms out there, built with privacy in mind.
The price is where it falls down
So I’ve spoken about the positives, but I need to comment on one negative until I know more about the device once it comes out and I’ve been to the Apple Store to try it. The negative for me is the price. For the base 256GB model, it costs a whopping £1,999, and if you want more memory, the price goes up to a staggering amount. If you were to purchase this phone on a UK contract (prices are to be confirmed), I’d say it would cost you £83 a month for the device alone on a 24-month contract. There will be options to bring the price down, but it’ll mean opting for a 3 or 4 year contract, and if they release new iPhone Duo devices on a yearly basis, your phone might become old quickly. This is what’s stopping me from upgrading just now, as there is a limit on how much I would pay for a phone, and I can’t justify £83 a month - so for now I’ll stick to my iPhone 17 Pro Max. It’s funny because there isn’t enough of a difference for me to get the 18 Pro Max, and there’s a huge difference with the fold, but it’s too costly. I should point out that if you buy the phone on a plan from Apple, it can be cheaper, but it’s over 30 months instead of 24.
If you are looking for this device, pre-orders start on 16th October at 1pm.
I’m keen to know your thoughts on the iPhone Duo. Was it what you expected? Will you be buying it? Let me know in the comments.