What Apple does better with the iPhone Duo

First impressions of the iPhone Duo are in – and most US media outlets are enthusiastic. We compare these impressions with our experiences with other models.

One of the easiest jokes at Apple's expense is that Apple invents little itself and prefers to wait and adopt existing concepts. The development of the M-chips and, yes, even the first iPhone contradict this theory. However, Apple did indeed wait on some details.

This is also true of its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, which Apple has now unveiled. As expected, the Duo comes in a passport-sized format, similar to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8. The outer screen measures 5.4 inches, while the foldable inner display is 7.6 inches. Both screens have an aspect ratio of 4.2:3, almost identical to the Fold 8.

While this format is currently unusual for foldable smartphones, it's not exclusive to Apple – see Samsung. What sets Apple apart from all other manufacturers is the anti-reflective coating on the inner screen: The display has a nanotexture that, according to previous reports, should almost completely prevent reflections.

The matte surface conceals the fold.

Another side effect is that the crease in the middle is barely visible due to the matte surface. As Marques Brownlee explains, it's there, but hardly noticeable to the touch. Samsung has also managed to minimize the crease on its current foldables, as has Oppo with the N6. The iPhone Duo will support the Apple Pencil; the inner display's surface coating is apparently hard enough for this.

As with other book-format foldables, this is practical for propping the device up like a notebook and watching a video or movie on the top half. Apple also gave the Duo a feature found in Google's foldables: media controls are on the bottom half. Numerous YouTubers show themselves watching a series on Netflix; after a while, the controls disappear, and the video appears mirrored in the lower part of the display.

Other foldable phones also switch quickly between displays.

Initial hands-on reviews confirm that the iPhone Duo switches quickly between the inner and outer displays while apps are open. This isn't a problem with Samsung's and Google's foldable phones either, and depends, among other things, on how well developers optimize their apps for foldable smartphones.

Nice effect when unfolded

Apple has added further graphical flourishes to the Duo, setting it apart from other manufacturers' animations. The effect when the smartphone opens is particularly interesting: the user interface becomes increasingly blurred as the outer display opens. The left side of the inner screen adopts this blurring effect, creating the illusion of viewing the user interface through frosted glass.

The blur changes depending on how far it's opened. Based on the videos so far, the effect seems well executed and is a welcome change from other foldables on the market: when opened, they hide the outer display and activate the inner one.

Apple has also redesigned the user interface: When folded, the app dock is no longer at the bottom of the display, but on the right – making it more easily accessible. This is true, at least, for right-handed users; there doesn't seem to be an option to display the dock on the left side.

Multitasking with limitations

Reactions to multitasking are mixed: You can use two apps simultaneously, but you can't adjust the size of the two areas. Other manufacturers offer this feature without issue. Samsung even lets you use a third app in the multitasking view. With Duo, however, you can lock two apps in split-screen mode and access them later together.

Even Apple can't defy physics and mechanics, and like Samsung with the Fold 8, it only includes two cameras on the back; more wouldn't fit. As with Samsung's passport-sized foldable, there's a main camera and an ultra-wide-angle camera. A telephoto camera is missing.

Samsung used to install an additional camera under the internal display, which could look through the display panel when needed. However, the quality wasn't good, so they've gone back to punching a hole in the screen. Apple, however, is still trying an under-display camera.

No tests yet on performance and camera

No information is yet available regarding technical aspects such as performance and camera quality following the initial hands-on reviews. Like the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone Duo uses the new A20 chip, which, like its predecessors, should be very powerful.

Overall, based on initial hands-on reviews, the iPhone Duo appears to be a foldable phone on par with its competitors, offering a more polished experience thanks to clever software optimizations. Only real-world testing will reveal how well the first foldable iPhone performs in everyday use. The smartphone is scheduled for release on October 23, 2026.

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