The iPhone Duo officially lands this week, with pre-orders shipping to the lucky customers who got their orders in first. I’ve been scrolling my social feeds for the past day and I’m seeing lots of videos from the big tech creators who’ve managed to get their hands on the device before the official launch day. They’ve shared their takes, and it’s definitely given me some food for thought now that I’ve seen it in use.
Likes
It looks good - No one can deny that Apple’s iPhones look amazing these days. They look so premium and put together that even though there have been foldables before, the iPhone Duo really feels like something new. It’s only available in two colours right now, but I expect future generations will come in a wider lineup of colours, and maybe even a cheaper version.
Display - The inner display looks so impressive. It’s ideal if you game, watch streaming services, or want to be productive across multiple apps. Definitely one of the phone’s biggest selling points.
Software - It runs on the latest iOS, and Apple have really elevated their iOS features this year.
Desk Stand - Ever charged your iPhone on a stand and noticed that widget screens pop up? Well, on the iPhone Duo, your phone doesn’t even need to be charging. Simply fold it slightly and stand it on your desk, and you’ll be able to display beautiful widgets including a clock, camera and Apple Music.
Apple Pencil Support - A lot of people might not use this, but it’s the first iPhone to support Apple Pencil. It works with the USB-C Pencil, and once connected, you can draw and navigate your device with it.
Dislikes
The Sidebar - I don’t know if this is the right terminology, but on the iPhone Duo the controls are all on the right-hand side. Basically, where the dock used to be has now shifted to the side with the other controls. I think this looks good, but apps look left-aligned, especially on the outer display.
Messaging - I’ve only seen a few use cases of the Messages app on the Duo, but in the ones I have seen, the keyboard takes up the majority of both the outer and inner display. That means you can only see one or two messages above it and need to scroll. I’m not sure if this can be adjusted in the settings, but I like to see multiple bubbles of my conversation when I’m messaging.
Front Facing Camera - I actually think it’s cool how the front facing camera disappears into the screen, but the 12MP quality isn’t great, especially when most people like a selfie nowadays.
Camera Zoom - This is a big reason I can’t upgrade. Well, this and the phone being over £2k. I love using the telephoto zoom on my iPhone 17 Pro Max, especially when I don’t get a good seat at a concert and want to zoom in on the performance. It’s a shame the Duo doesn’t have it, as the detail on the big screen would be brilliant.
Touch ID - If you’re upgrading to the Duo from a recent iPhone, you’ll notice the switch to Touch ID. The iPhone Duo doesn’t support Face ID and requires a fingerprint to unlock it. While this is still secure, it feels like a step back for Apple. It’s not included because of the phone’s design, as there isn’t enough space for the Face ID sensor. Maybe we’ll see it return in future versions of the device.
App Support - A lot of apps aren’t ready for the Duo at launch. They still work, but it’s basically just zoomed or stretched versions of their existing app views. As the device is so expensive and there’s been huge demand for it, it would have been nice to see more apps support it from day one.
Over to you
As always, I’m keen to know your thoughts on the new iPhone Duo. Will you be upgrading? Do you have it already? Please share your likes and dislikes in the comments.