The first units of the iPhone Duo have reached influencers and journalists ahead of its official launch tomorrow. In the reviews, articles, and videos published, the trend is clear: it’s a device with a striking design and that invites us, for better and for worse, to get used to a different way of using the iPhone.
A form factor that’s easy to love
CNET highlights how comfortable its two screens are for reading, working, or watching videos, something that brings the iPhone experience very close to that of the iPad. WIRED praises the finish and the quality of the hinge, while Gizmodo highlights the strong performance of the A20 Pro chip.
Overall, its inner screen, with a replaceable layer, stands out. Joanna Stern put the Duo through more than 32,000 folds and it barely showed any change in the hinge. Tom’s Guide, in its tests, recorded 13 hours and 20 minutes of battery life, well above the Galaxy Z Fold8.
But there are a few quirks we’ll have to get used to
Marques Brownlee, Engadget, Mrwhosetheboss, PetaPixel, and 9to5Mac agree that Touch ID takes more deliberate action than Face ID. Unlocking with the Apple Watch, though, makes interaction much easier.
The Verge and Joanna Stern point to some heat under heavy workloads, while 9to5Mac and Gizmodo speak of far more consistent performance. In photography, comparisons with the iPhone 18 Pro are more nuanced: Tyler Stalman praises the main cameras and Gizmodo questions the hidden inner camera. WIRED mentions that several apps still need to be optimized, which should happen in the coming days.
As The Verge sums it up, the Duo comes with compromises and a lot of personality. A first generation that hints at the promising road ahead for this new form factor.
