Videographer Dan Barbera received an iPhone Duo a day early and spent the following day answering common questions about the device. His early impressions highlight mixed app support, camera compromises compared with the iPhone 18 Pro, the absence of Face ID, a durable inner display, a heavier and bulkier body, and a $1,999 starting price.
App support and multitasking
Some apps scale to fill the Duo’s screen, while others have been updated to take advantage of the device’s unique folded positions. Netflix, for example, offers a special mode for a half-fold. Unupdated apps show thick black bars on the sides: they remain usable but provide a poor experience. Barbera expects a large wave of app updates starting tomorrow, which could reduce the number of unoptimized apps. Multitasking with two apps side by side is useful, allowing tasks like watching a video while scrolling a website.
iPhone Duo camera and biometrics
The iPhone Duo’s camera performs on par with an iPhone 17 camera, but it does not match the iPhone 18 Pro’s camera with variable aperture. The Duo lacks a telephoto lens, making camera quality one of its main compromises. The under-display FaceTime camera is acceptable for casual FaceTime video but is comparatively poor for other uses. Face ID is not present; Touch ID is available but slower because Apple built a deliberate pause into it, requiring users to touch and hold to unlock. An Apple Watch can be used to unlock the iPhone Duo, an experience Barbera says is closer to Face ID.
Display, handling and build
The inner display feels durable and is compared to an iPad with a nano-texture display. It does pick up fingerprints but does not feel likely to break or scratch easily. The iPhone Duo is heavier than other iPhones and can feel bulky; one-handed use may be possible depending on hand size, but the device is harder to use left-handed because the Touch ID button and on-screen navigation bars are positioned on the right.
Price and early verdict
With a $1,999 starting price, the Duo is expensive and includes compromises that will deter some buyers. Barbera notes that once major apps are updated, the overall experience may change. A full iPhone Duo review will be published soon.
