<\/p>\nAll you need to know about the iPhone Duo<\/p>\n
<\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n\n1. Design & handling<\/li>\n 2. The hinge and speakers<\/li>\n 3. The largest display on an iPhone ever and that matte finish<\/li>\n 4. Software tricks<\/li>\n 5. Software compatibility<\/li>\n 6. No Face ID<\/li>\n 7. Powered by the A20 Pro<\/li>\n 8. Battery life<\/li>\n 9. The cameras are not Apple\u2019s finest<\/li>\n 10. Can you get the same experience from Android?<\/li>\n 11. Final thoughts & buying advice<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\nDesign & handling<\/h2>\n\nThough the Duo is small, it\u2019s thickness makes it feel bulky in the hands.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
With its 5.4-inch outer display, the iPhone Duo isn\u2019t a big phone, but it feels surprisingly substantial and chunky in the hands. That\u2019s because it weighs 254g<\/b> (yes, over a quarter of a kilo) and measures 11.3mm<\/b> thick when folded. To give these figures some context, Samsung\u2019s Z Fold8, which has similarly-sized outer and inner displays, is 201g and just 9.7mm thick when folded. Tipping the scales at 254g also means it\u2019s slightly heavier than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which is already a pretty heavy phone. The Fold8 is surely the more compact and svelte phone, and it fits pockets more comfortably. It feels more natural to use closed too.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Duo feels very chunky in the hands when it\u2019s closed, and that problem is exacerbated if you use a phone case \u2013 which you will, because who isn\u2019t going to protect their precious folding phone? With Apple\u2019s Folio with Kickstand case, the Duo measured a stumpy 15mm when it\u2019s closed. That\u2019s about the thickness of two conventional slab phones stacked on top of each other. But because it\u2019s so short \u2013 just under 12cm when folded \u2013 it actually slips into pockets easier than both the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, even if it creates quite a sizeable bulge. Overall, even with a case, it\u2019s more pocketable than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and on a par with the smaller iPhone 18 Pro.\u00a0<\/p>\n\nFold8 on the left, Duo on the right. It may not seem like much, but the Fold8 is nicer to hold.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The upside to the Duo\u2019s heft, however, is that it feels like a more well-engineered product. Along with its titanium frame, the Duo feels solid \u2013 almost unbreakable \u2013 in the hand. In addition, it also has an IP68 dust and water resistance rating, which is the same as the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Obviously, I\u2019m not going to dunk the review unit in water, but it\u2019s good to know that it\u2019s no less durable than a regular non-folding iPhone. This means it also trumps the Fold8\u2019s IP48 rating.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One thing that stands out about the Duo is its asymmetric outer display with pronounced rounded corners. This has two effects: it makes the Duo look like a \u201cD\u201d when it\u2019s closed \u2013 which may or may not be a coincidence \u2013 and quickly lets users know which side to unfold the phone. Happily, when the Duo is unfolded, its weight and chunkiness are less obvious. It feels like how a thin 7.6-inch tablet should feel.\u00a0<\/p>\n\nThe Duo features Touch ID and Camera Control buttons on the side.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
As for buttons, the Duo has quite a few. Aside from the Touch ID button, it also has a Camera Control button. I\u2019ll admit, I was sceptical about Camera Control when it was first announced, but I use it all the time now. Missing from the Duo is the Action Button, which is a pity because I use mine to launch my banking app for QR payments. The Duo has volume control buttons too, but the placement will need some getting used to because it\u2019s on the top. iPhones always had their volume control buttons on the left, but you can\u2019t do this for the Duo because of the hinge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The hinge and speakers<\/h2>\n\nThe hinge cover is Grade 5 titanium with a micro-blasted finish.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The hinge is an integral part of any foldable phone. A well-designed one not only minimises the crease (more on the crease later), it can also improve the overall ownership experience by making opening and closing the phone a satisfying and tactile event. Closing the Duo, in particular, feels gratifying because it \u201cclacks\u201d as the two sides come together \u2013 which reminds me of the thunk you get when closing the doors of a well-made luxury car.<\/p>\n
Apple says the Duo\u2019s hinge consists of over 100 tiny components and that it has a \u201cvariable torque profile\u201d<\/b>. What this means is that the level of resistance that you encounter changes as you unfold the Duo. It feels light at first, but then you are met with more resistance as you unfold it. This is necessary for the Duo to keep its shape as it is unfolded in its various modes. As for longevity, it\u2019s too early to tell. I\u2019ve only been using the phone for the past week; I\u2019ll report back in a few weeks\u2019 time.<\/p>\n\nThe hinge allows the Duo to be placed in various positions.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The placement of the speakers is quite interesting. To try and ensure stereo sound regardless of how you hold the Duo, the speakers are positioned at the opposite ends of the two parts of the Duo<\/b>. This avoids them being on just one side when you fold it and hold in landscape orientation (Fold8, I\u2019m looking at you). Does it work? I think it mostly does. But I think it really depends on the content you are watching and how the audio is mastered. On some videos, it sounds fine, but then on others, I could hear some lopsidedness in the sound. Still, it beats having the speakers all on one side.\u00a0<\/p>\nThe largest display on an iPhone ever and that matte finish<\/h2>\n\nThe 7.6-inch inner display of the Duo is 50% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max and 80% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The outer display is 5.4-inch, which may sound small, but if you do the math, it\u2019s actually around 90% the screen size of an iPhone 18 Pro. Maybe it\u2019s because of the 1.4:1 aspect ratio<\/b>, but to my eyes, it doesn\u2019t quite look like it\u2019s 90% the size of an iPhone 18 Pro\u2019s display.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, this is a high-quality OLED display that supports ProMotion technology, which means a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. It also has a pixel density count of 460 ppi \u2013 the same as the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Crucially, it\u2019s protected by Ceramic Shield 2<\/b>, which I found to be excellent on the iPhone 17 Pro Max. I don\u2019t baby my phones, but even after a year, my iPhone 17 Pro Max\u2019s display is still pristine. I expect the Duo to be the same.<\/p>\n\nThe area of the Duo\u2019s outer display is supposedly 90% that of the iPhone 18 Pro.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Unfold the Duo, and you\u2019ll be greeted by a 7.6-inch inner display<\/b>. Like the outer display, it features ProMotion, but a slightly lower pixel density count of 430 ppi. It goes without saying that this is the largest display ever found on an iPhone. The first thing most people would notice is that it has a matte finish. As far as I\u2019m aware, this is the first foldable to have a inner display with such a finish, and it makes you wonder why no one has done it earlier. Like most matte finishes on a display, it does dull colours a tad, but this is still a bright and vibrant screen. Peak brightness is 3,000 nits, and it is slightly less legible on a bright day compared to the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, but it\u2019s not a night-and-day difference, and doesn\u2019t render the display unusable on a bright day.<\/p>\n
But the upside is that it significantly reduces glare and reflection, and makes the crease less conspicuous. You have to really seek it out to see it. It resists smudges quite well too. However, this is a bit of a double-edged sword because smudges on the screen are onerous to clean<\/b>. A wipe \u2013 even with Apple\u2019s own polishing cloth \u2013 will not suffice; you will need some sort of liquid to help lift those smudges off the display.\u00a0<\/p>\n\nThe Duo next to the Galaxy Z Fold8. At 8 inches, the Fold8\u2019s display is bigger.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The matte finish also confers the inner display a premium look and feel. It doesn\u2019t have that somewhat tacky plastic look and feel that some other foldable phones have because of their display coatings. I also find it gentler on eyes, I\u2019ve been reading e-books on the Duo for a bit, and I think it might make my Kindles redundant.<\/p>\n
Back to the crease, you can feel it if you brush your finger over it. But again, it isn\u2019t obvious, and isn\u2019t something that will detract from the overall user experience. How the crease will hold up is anyone\u2019s guess. I\u2019ve only been using it for a week, and I don\u2019t appear to have gotten any more conspicuous. Once more, this is one of those things that I will need more time to tell. I\u2019ll report back in a couple of weeks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Software tricks<\/h2>\n\nWhenever you prop your Duo up like so, it goes into Standby mode and instantly turns into a desktop display or clock.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Because of the unique aspect ratio of the displays, Apple had to make some tweaks to the way iOS is laid out on the Duo. The most notable change is that the dock and essential controls have been moved to the side to maximise the amount of vertical space. For longtime iPhone users, this can be a bit jarring at first, but you\u2019ll soon get used to it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Much has be said about the animation that occurs when you open the Duo that blends the outer and inner displays, it\u2019s undeniably cool, but that\u2019s mostly a visual gimmick. A more tangible new feature is the improved Standby mode. Standby mode isn\u2019t new \u2013 your conventional slab iPhones will go into Standby when they\u2019re placed on their sides and connected to a charger. In the Duo, however, it\u2019s invoked on the outer display or inner display whenever it is partially folded and set on a surface<\/b>. Apple has also introduced new faces, most of which are highly customisable. This ability to turn the Duo into a very expensive desk clock may appear trivial to some, but I see it as a thoughtful and fun way to make the most out of the Duo\u2019s form factor.<\/p>\n\nThis is the first iPhone to be able to run two apps side by side.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
No foldable phone will be complete without some form of multitasking capability, and the Duo is the first iPhone to have Split View, which lets you place two apps side by side on its inner display<\/b>. Unlike some of its Android rivals and even the iPad mini, Split View on the Duo is limited to just two apps. You can still have a video playing picture-in-picture, so let\u2019s be generous and say you can run up to three apps simultaneously on the Duo.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Regardless, two apps side by side is a reasonable limit. Run any more, and you\u2019ll start to compromise legibility and usability. Even on an iPad mini, which has a noticeably larger 8.3-inch display and a more flexible multitasking system, I never saw the point of running three apps side by side.<\/p>\n
Software compatibility<\/h2>\n\nNot all apps are optimised for the Duo. This is the popular navigation app Waze.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
One of the issues that foldable phones in Android land suffer from is app compatibility. This problem rears itself in two ways: apps can\u2019t be properly displayed and\/or they can\u2019t transition from the outer to inner display. This is understandable when you realise how fragmented the Android space is \u2013 there are many phones sporting different screen sizes and aspect ratios.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s too early to tell if the Duo will be unaffected by this, but Apple has always had a good track record with app compatibility, and there\u2019s evidence to suggest that developers are on board with the Duo. When I first got the phone, most apps weren\u2019t properly optimised for the Duo. But as the days passed, I noticed more and more apps were being updated to support the Duo\u2019s two screens.<\/p>\n\nOn the day before this review was published, 35 apps issued updates. I\u2019m sure many of them were optimisations for the Duo\u2019s displays.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
While that\u2019s promising news, there\u2019s still work to be done. Most banking apps are still not displaying properly, and many major apps like Agoda, Grab, Lazada, Prime Video, Shopee, Telegram, and more could use an update as well. Hopefully, these will be receiving updates in the coming days before the Duo\u2019s official launch on the 23rd.<\/p>\n
On the bright side, Apple\u2019s native apps all work properly, and there are some third-party apps that have been optimised to take advantage of the Duo\u2019s screen in interesting ways. For example, when you partially fold the Duo when watching Netflix, one half of the main display plays the video while the bottom half shows playback controls. This can be very handy if you want to take a short break at your desk.\u00a0<\/p>\n\nWhen you fold the Duo like so, the top half shows content while the bottom shows playback controls.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
No Face ID<\/h2>\n\nThe front-facing camera on the outer display doesn\u2019t support Face ID.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
One of the biggest omissions in the Duo has got to be the lack of Face ID. Having enjoyed the convenience of Face ID for nearly a decade now, I found myself staring at the screen waiting for the phone to unlock itself, only to realise it needed my fingerprint. I soon got over this and was instinctively placing my fingers over the Touch ID button to unlock the phone by around the fourth day.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My bigger concern was that Touch ID would be like the ones on the iPads, which have the tendency to be erratic and unreliable at times. Fortunately, that wasn\u2019t the case. There\u2019s no question Face ID is quicker and more convenient, but now, after nearly a week with the Duo, I\u2019ve gotten used to using Touch ID.<\/p>\n
Powered by the A20 Pro<\/h2>\n\nThe Duo is powered by the same A20 Pro chip found in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The Duo is powered by Apple\u2019s A20 Pro chip \u2013 the same chip that powers the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Here are the high-level highlights:<\/p>\n
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