As I watched a Netflix show on Apple’s first foldable, the iPhone Duo, I had two surprising thoughts. The first: Maybe I don’t need my iPad Mini anymore. The second: Uh oh, am I about to spend $1,999 on a phone? I didn’t think folding phones were for me, having tested Android versions from Samsung and Google since 2019, which came with too much screen and too many compromises.
Fast forward seven years, and the technology has come a long way. Apple has also come up with some hardware and software solutions to make up for some shortcomings of the basic design. My desire for a folding phone before today was zero. After today, it’s a lot more than zero.
First Impressions
I’m not ready to recommend the Duo, which ships on Oct. 23, just yet. Not until I am able to test it more fully, so be on the lookout for that review in a few weeks. But from what I experienced at Apple Park on Wednesday, I could actually picture myself using this new half-phone, half-tablet hybrid.
When opened, the Duo’s exterior screen goes dark. The interior screen is almost as spacious as the display on an iPad Mini. For months, I’ve been using Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, a similarly squat, passport-shaped foldable that opens up to a larger screen.
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Samsung did a lot of work to minimize the crease—the dip between the two halves of the big interior display—but it’s still clearly there. When I held the iPhone Duo open, the crease was barely visible. As I slid my finger across the display, I could feel it, but it’s more subtle than Samsung’s.
Design and Features
Apple employed both software and hardware techniques to camouflage the crease. The matte surface of the interior 7.6-inch screen minimizes reflections to hide it. And as you begin to open or close the iPhone Duo, the interface shifts the controls and content away from the center crease.
When closed, iPhone Duo has a chunkier shape than traditional iPhones, with a new interface layout. My second observation was that, when the Duo is closed, in phone mode, it was harder to use one-handed than I expected. In the keynote trailer and press release, Apple touted how thin the Duo is.
But it’s actually thicker and heavier than most of its Android competitors. The Duo weighs 254 grams, and is 11.3 millimeters thick when closed. The Samsung Galaxy Fold 8 is just 201 grams, with a thickness of 9.7 millimeters. Google’s Pixel 11 Pro Fold is 239 grams and 10.1 millimeters.
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Usage and Performance
Because the Duo is also wider than a standard iPhone, I found it quite a challenge to type. I admit, I do have smaller-than-average hands. So I consulted my colleague Rolfe Winkler, who has a larger grip. He agreed the Duo feels big.
Apple rearranged the interface on the outer screen so it looks different than traditional iPhones. The dock and control center are off to the right to be more reachable. Committing to the Duo as your main device will require adjustments in your handling. You will have to learn a new way to use and type.
My most surprising takeaway? I feel a pull toward this device. I always thought that combining an iPhone and an iPad would mean bigger compromises. The battery life is about the same as the 18 Pro (up to 24 hours of “regular use” on a single charge), though I’ll need to verify that in my real-world testing.
And it’s also as durable, with the same IP68 dust- and water-resistance rating as the rest of the iPhone lineup. There are trade-offs, for sure. Trying out the camera, I immediately missed the 8X zoom in my Pro model. The Duo has just 2X zoom, which wouldn’t cut it for the dozens of pictures I take of my kid every day.
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But the dual screens unlock new photo functionality. You can see what your shot looks like from the outside screen. As someone who has tried tirelessly to self-direct a family photo—or a spouse, I am very eager to try this out more.
Foldables, I initially thought, were for classic mobile-warrior jet-setter types, who never sit at a desk and are always on calls. For that crowd, the Duo can run two apps side-by-side. Me, I’m more of a bed binge-watcher and ebook reader. That’s what my beloved iPad Mini is for.
Watching videos on the Duo is a nice experience, nice enough that you forget the screen is 0.7 inches smaller than the iPad Mini’s.
I’m not sure I want to spend that premium on a first-generation Apple device. But I’m not ruling out the idea that a Duo might one day be in my future. Stay tuned for my full review.
