Apple's first foldable iPhone is finally here, and everyone on the team has an opinion!
Is the iPhone Duo the thing that finally gets foldable phones into the mainstream? What about the iPhone Duo name? And what are the curious little details that you might have missed?
Below, you can read the hot takes of our staffers to learn more about everyone's thoughts on the iPhone Duo.
Rad Slavov, editor in chief:
I'm in love with what Apple's done with iOS on the iPhone Duo. It turns out it's not really needed to do several swipes and screen taps only to enable split-screen multitasking. Who would've thought!
iOS is heavily reworked for the Duo, which seems incredibly ambitious. I fully expect there to be glitches or simply things that haven't been perfected yet on launch day. That's fine. The important thing is that it's a first generation product, and we don't get many of these from Apple these days.
Honestly, that's super exciting. The only thing I don't get is why Apple had to ruin the main display by giving it a matte coating. But, to be honest, I should first see it for myself and get to use it a little bit before making any conclusions. Then I'll tell you that it's a matte mess and you should stick with the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
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Preslav Kateliev, senior reviewer:
Year after year, Android manufacturers with Samsung at the helm were giving us square-shaped foldable phones. I tried to use them, tried to like them, more than once, for months. The square screen just felt like wasted real estate.
Apple… got it. Both the internal and external screen of the iPhone Duo have the same aspect ratio — 1.4:1 (a slightly longer 4:3). This ensures a more iPad-like experience when unfolding the phone. Furthermore, the gestures and navigation showcased with iOS 27 actually support one-tap split-screen activation, which looks a million times less awkward than anything out in the market right now.
Yeah, call me an Apple shill, and watch next year’s foldables switching their software to look more like iOS 27.
Apple Pencil support. I am of a dual mind here. For one — yes, it’s awesome that we will get Apple Pencil support, especially with the internal screen of the iPhone Duo having a matte surface. And it’s a definite blow to Samsung, who actually omitted S Pen support from the Z Fold 7 and Z Fold 8 to make them that thin.
But one — why is this feature “coming later”? And two — why do we only get support for the basic, “old-gen” Apple Pencil USB-C?
Victor Hristov, reviews editor: I think the iPhone Duo shows what Apple does best. Little things like the gesture navigation look so perfectly optimized on the iPhone Duo that I can't help but wonder why nobody in the Android camp thought of this earlier. The app dock and nav icons moved to the side. The matching screen aspect ratios. Loudspeakers positioned properly (cough, Fold 8). The IP68 support from the very first generation.
I loved the Galaxy Fold 8 design, so it's no surprise that I'm very happy to finally see a foldable iPhone in the same form factor. But seeing the iPhone Duo, I also realize all of the complicity. All other Android phone makers are suddenly waking up to the realization that a phone that unfolds into a square is not practical. Now, everyone is all on board with wider foldables all of a sudden. These companies have all had seven plus years to get the form factor right, but it took a foldable iPhone for them to do it, and that's just a bit sad, if you ask me.
Peter Kostadinov, senior reviewer:
The iPhone Duo has all the makings of a potential smash-hit success for Apple. You know it, I know it, and most importantly, Apple knows it, too. Why would you buy an iPhone and an iPad when you can get both in the same package? I know which one I'd pick.
I have to admit, the iPhone Duo is definitely a product that will grow on people, not just because it's Apple, but also due to the form factor being a certified winner in my books. I could even overlook the asymmetric bezels at the front.
Johanna Romero, senior news writer:
The iPhone Duo arrived to completely shatter my excitement for the Galaxy Z Fold 8, a device I've been carrying since July. The addition of features long lost to Galaxy Z Fold fans, such as pen support, an in-display camera, and a laptop/flex mode, proved that these things are possible. As an Android user, who also uses iOS occasionally, I am also looking forward to how this device will shape foldables in the foreseeable future.
Your take!
And what is your take on the iPhone Duo?
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Victor, a seasoned mobile technology expert, has spent over a decade at PhoneArena, exploring the depths of mobile photography and reviewing hundreds of smartphones across Android and iOS ecosystems. His passion for technology, coupled with his extensive knowledge of smartphone cameras and battery life, has positioned him as a leading voice in the mobile tech industry.
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