I love what Apple’s done with the foldable iPhone Duo display, but it does have one “glaring” downside

The foldable iPhone Duo is finally here, and Apple has used a neat trick to make the internal display look crisp and flat. However, the solution that the company went for has meant that one thing really stands out on an otherwise stunning display: the camera.

iPhone Duo’s under-display camera

The main internal display on the iPhone Duo features an under-display camera, something that Samsung abandoned with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. This makes for a more uniform viewing experience in most cases, but the camera is definitely noticeable under certain lighting conditions.

The under-display camera also has the trade-off of being slightly worse at photography and videography compared to a standard punch-hole camera.

It becomes visible under glare

Reports from initial hands-on experiences are coming in, and it appears that the camera becomes a lot more noticeable when the display is held under direct light. In fact, it becomes so noticeable that, in my opinion, it’s almost just as distracting as a traditional punch-hole camera would have been.

One video (translated source) shows this off perfectly.

Why does this happen?

So, why does this happen? The answer is actually very simple.

Apple has applied a “nano-texture” coating for the main display, giving it a slightly matte look. This has the advantage of helping the internal screen look exceptionally clear as the coating disperses most harsh lighting, reflections, and glare.

A matte display is definitely not to everyone’s liking. However, many people do seem to agree that such a display is pretty good at hiding the crease, which is perhaps the biggest reason that Apple opted for this coating.



But the under-display camera could not have had this coating applied over its opening. Doing so would have drastically reduced the quality of photos and videos that it can capture.

So, whenever glare passes over the display, it is getting dispelled across most of it and then it hits the small patch where it doesn’t get canceled out. This is why the under-display camera reflects light so brightly when the rest of the display remains much less distracting.

I would still take this over the alternative

Personally, as someone who has always disliked display cutouts on phones, I would take this approach over a traditional punch-hole camera any day. Furthermore, it gives me hope for next year’s alleged iPhone 20 Pro and its all-glass design.

Because if Apple is using an under-display camera now, it might do so for the 20th anniversary of the iPhone as well.

The iPhone Duo stole the show, but there's more to look forward to:

• All iPhone 18 Pro colors, including the fancy new Burgundy
• iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max camera upgrades and pricing

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