Every wild thing I learned about the iPhone Duo by answering your AMA questions

The Apple iPhone Duo is the rare Apple product that has not received universally glowing or negative reviews.

<![CDATA[ <article> <p>The Apple iPhone Duo is the rare Apple product that has not received universally glowing or negative reviews. Opinions are split over its lack of Face ID support, iPhone 17 Pro-grade cameras (but without the telephoto lens), and slightly hefty frame when folded. It's also generated more interest in an iPhone than I've seen in years, and when I followed my exhaustive, generally positive review with a pair of AMAs (Ask Me Anything) on <a href="https://www.threads.com/@lanceulanoff/post/DewcHW7oMuW" target="_blank">Threads</a> and <a href="https://x.com/LanceUlanoff/status/2112887983535759807" target="_blank">X</a>, I was flooded with questions. My Threads post alone has 1,300 comments.</p><p>Granted, not every question was about the Duo. Many took the "Anything" part literally and asked me about everything from my hairline to their favorite color. I played along as I fielded myriad queries about Apple's first folding device. Over 24 hours, I reiterated many points from my review, which I doubt many read, but I also learned a thing or two I missed while testing the product. </p><figure><blockquote class="text-post-media" data-text-post-permalink=https://www.threads.com/@lanceulanoff/post/DewcHW7oMuW data-text-post-version="0" id=.ig-tp-DewcHW7oMuW style=" background:#FFF; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: #00000026; border-radius: 16px; max-width:540px; margin: 1px; min-width:270px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <a href=https://www.threads.com/@lanceulanoff/post/DewcHW7oMuW style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;" target="_blank"> <div style=" padding: 40px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center;"><div style=" display:block; height:32px; width:32px; padding-bottom:20px;"> <svg aria-label="Threads" height="32px" role="img" viewBox="0 0 192 192" width="32px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <path d="M141.537 88.9883C140.71 88.5919 139.87 88.2104 139.019 87.8451C137.537 60.5382 122.616 44.905 97.5619 44.745C97.4484 44.7443 97.3355 44.7443 97.222 44.7443C82.2364 44.7443 69.7731 51.1409 62.102 62.7807L75.881 72.2328C81.6116 63.5383 90.6052 61.6848 97.2286 61.6848C97.3051 61.6848 97.3819 61.6848 97.4576 61.6855C105.707 61.7381 111.932 64.1366 115.961 68.814C118.893 72.2193 120.854 76.925 121.825 82.8638C114.511 81.6207 106.601 81.2385 98.145 81.7233C74.3247 83.0954 59.0111 96.9879 60.0396 116.292C60.5615 126.084 65.4397 134.508 73.775 140.011C80.8224 144.663 89.899 146.938 99.3323 146.423C111.79 145.74 121.563 140.987 128.381 132.296C133.559 125.696 136.834 117.143 138.28 106.366C144.217 109.949 148.617 114.664 151.047 120.332C155.179 129.967 155.42 145.8 142.501 158.708C131.182 170.016 117.576 174.908 97.0135 175.059C74.2042 174.89 56.9538 167.575 45.7381 153.317C35.2355 139.966 29.8077 120.682 29.6052 96C29.8077 71.3178 35.2355 52.0336 45.7381 38.6827C56.9538 24.4249 74.2039 17.11 97.0132 16.9405C119.988 17.1113 137.539 24.4614 149.184 38.788C154.894 45.8136 159.199 54.6488 162.037 64.9503L178.184 60.6422C174.744 47.9622 169.331 37.0357 161.965 27.974C147.036 9.60668 125.202 0.195148 97.0695 0H96.9569C68.8816 0.19447 47.2921 9.6418 32.7883 28.0793C19.8819 44.4864 13.2244 67.3157 13.0007 95.9325L13 96L13.0007 96.0675C13.2244 124.684 19.8819 147.514 32.7883 163.921C47.2921 182.358 68.8816 191.806 96.9569 192H97.0695C122.03 191.827 139.624 185.292 154.118 170.811C173.081 151.866 172.51 128.119 166.26 113.541C161.776 103.087 153.227 94.5962 141.537 88.9883ZM98.4405 129.507C88.0005 130.095 77.1544 125.409 76.6196 115.372C76.2232 107.93 81.9158 99.626 99.0812 98.6368C101.047 98.5234 102.976 98.468 104.871 98.468C111.106 98.468 116.939 99.0737 122.242 100.233C120.264 124.935 108.662 128.946 98.4405 129.507Z" /></svg></div> <div style=" font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; color: #999999; font-weight: 400; padding-bottom: 4px; "><figcaption><cite> Post by @lanceulanoff</cite><figcaption></div> <div style=" font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; color: #000000; font-weight: 600; "> View on Threads</div></div></a></blockquote></figure><p>Here are some of the highlights:</p><p>For <a href="https://www.techradar.com/phones/iphone/apple-iphone-duo-review">my iPhone Duo review,</a> I placed the folded phone on multiple MagSafe charge stands and holders. The MagSafe magnets sit on the back, right under the camera array, and the Duo fits perfectly on each stand. With charge stands, the Duo instantly slips into the redesigned Standby mode. I love it.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1332px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:25.83%;"><img id="e8gvq8Sei6fwjbcWYCHMpj" name="opened-on-magsafe-charger-question-Duo" alt="Apple iPhone Duo AMA questions" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/e8gvq8Sei6fwjbcWYCHMpj-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1332" height="344" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Someone on Threads asked me if I had tried unfolding the Duo and putting it on a MagSafe stand. So I did and quickly found that the weight of the half not attached to the charging stand made the entire phone rotate ever so slowly on the MagSafe charger. So, while you could use the unfolded Duo on a MagSafe charging stand, it is not recommended.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1920px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="guwYRvBuJieK3jtNLALFY5" name="opened-iPhone-Duo-on-MagSafe-Stand" alt="Apple iPhone Duo" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/guwYRvBuJieK3jtNLALFY5-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1920" height="1080" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>After someone else asked if they could still use their MagSafe Wallet, I found that the Duo's back is too short to accommodate the standard MagSafe Wallet.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1920px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="9ghhCTDeHKuFwfhcoEGjPH" name="MagSafe-wallet-on-Duo" alt="Apple iPhone Duo with MagSafe Wallet" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9ghhCTDeHKuFwfhcoEGjPH-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1920" height="1080" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>With its two differently sized screens, the iPhone Duo is unique in the iPhone lineup, and there were reasonable questions about how features like vertical Wallpaper images work across the cover and inner display. </p><div class="see-more see-more--clipped"><figure><blockquote class="twitter-tweet hawk-ignore" data-lang="en" cite="https://twitter.com/cantworkitout/status/2113089862865940512"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">@LanceUlanoff How do wallpapers work? If you have a vertical photo on the outer screen does it not work on the inner one?<a href="https://twitter.com/cantworkitout/status/2113089862865940512">October 22, 2026</a></p></blockquote></figure><div class="see-more__filter"></div></div><p>I didn't know, so I set the cover wallpaper as a vertical photo I took with the Duo of the Empire State Building, and I gotta say, I love the handoff between displays. The Cover display showed the iconic building, and when I opened the Duo, it showed more of the photo. </p><figure role="gallery"><figure><img src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/J9VYKYr98eLipnQTT7RRuZ-1920-80.jpg" alt="Apple iPhone Duo" /><figcaption><small role="credit">Lance Ulanoff / Future</small></figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SzUq2bAhFQ9bLoRS2t2XwZ-1920-80.jpg" alt="Apple iPhone Duo" /><figcaption><small role="credit">Lance Ulanoff / Future</small></figcaption></figure></figure><p>There were a lot of questions about the Duo's split-screen capabilities, like if I could open more than two apps (no, but you can do a PiP video overlay), and if you could drag and drop content from one screen to another (you can). </p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1328px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:20.93%;"><img id="FefM52MNMowdAzkZW7GVyi" name="Two-of-same-App-on-Duo" alt="Apple iPhone Duo AMA" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FefM52MNMowdAzkZW7GVyi-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1328" height="278" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Some wondered if you could run the same app on both screens. You cannot, but if you want to maximize your social media, I found that you could run TikTok and Instagram Reels in side-by-side windows. It's social media turned up to 11.</p> <div class= "tiktok-wrapper" style="min-height: 750px;"><blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@lanceulanoff/video/7699194668038294814" data-video-id="7699194668038294814" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a target="_blank" title="@lanceulanoff" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lanceulanoff">@lanceulanoff</a> <p></p><a target="_blank" title="♬ Ashes Over Atlas - Hank Deluca" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Ashes-Over-Atlas-7672331324379891763">♬ Ashes Over Atlas - Hank Deluca</a></section> </blockquote></div> <p>During my review, I tried running the Kindle app, but the app wasn't optimized for the device and looked tiny and useless. Someone asked me about "iBooks," which is now known as Books. </p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1312px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:25.30%;"><img id="NSTPdVjbS9yuyAZJUy4Rn7" name="iBooks-on-Duo" alt="Apple iPhone Duo AMA" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NSTPdVjbS9yuyAZJUy4Rn7-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1312" height="332" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>As a first-party app, it's optimized for Duo, of course. Flipping virtual pages on the 7.6-inch inner display is a transporting experience.</p> <div class= "tiktok-wrapper" style="min-height: 750px;"><blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@lanceulanoff/video/7699183160550083871" data-video-id="7699183160550083871" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a target="_blank" title="@lanceulanoff" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lanceulanoff">@lanceulanoff</a> <p></p><a target="_blank" title="♬ Still Glass Horizons - Whispering Wanderer" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Still-Glass-Horizons-7649321429235075113">♬ Still Glass Horizons - Whispering Wanderer</a></section> </blockquote></div> <p>Many wondered whether I hated the matte finish on the inner display (I don't), but I also got a ton of questions about the crease and the inner display's overall durability. A few wanted to know if I'd scratched it, either purposefully or by accident, with my fingernail. I had not, honestly; I don't even see fingerprints on the matte display.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1406px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:24.32%;"><img id="qWgCzzZ2LpadF2sSRcqB5c" name="can-you-see-the-crease-Duo" alt="Apple iPhone Duo AMA" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qWgCzzZ2LpadF2sSRcqB5c-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1406" height="342" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>A couple of people asked about the visibility of the crease and whether that area of the screen bounced or wobbled when I touched it. So I tested it by opening the phone and pressing down on the essentially invisible crease. No movement.</p><div class="see-more see-more--clipped"><figure><blockquote class="twitter-tweet hawk-ignore" data-lang="en" cite="https://twitter.com/cantworkitout/status/2113316986792866002"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">@Kevinpogee04 Honestly, there's no give https://t.co/tFB5zamnSC<a href="https://twitter.com/cantworkitout/status/2113316986792866002">October 22, 2026</a></p></blockquote></figure><div class="see-more__filter"></div></div><p>Many had obviously heard that not every app is optimized for the new inner display. In my review, I noted that LinkedIn and Gmail were particularly poor fits and later found that Adobe Acrobat still wasn't optimized. But developers are constantly delivering updates, so apps that didn't work yesterday look great today. </p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1328px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:22.74%;"><img id="A7DWiNAsL7DhLFZfQk53L" name="third-party-apps-on-Duo" alt="Apple iPhone Duo AMA" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/A7DWiNAsL7DhLFZfQk53L-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1328" height="302" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Still, people wanted to know how apps deal with the handoff from the 5.4-inch outer display to the 7.6-inch inner one. Optimized apps handle it smoothly; most simply expand without losing context. </p><p>Some, like DeckMan and Toastie, playfully use the two screens to create entertaining interplays. DeckMan, for instance, turns the duo into a virtual portable tape deck.</p><figure role="gallery"><figure><img src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vi2bLjGo2XWphB6zmAUUUj-1920-80.jpg" alt="Apple iPhone AMA" /><figcaption><small role="credit">Future</small></figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UKGk23kNKWmPLbrgo6QJVj-1920-80.jpg" alt="Apple iPhone AMA" /><figcaption><small role="credit">Future</small></figcaption></figure></figure><p>An almost equal number shared their concerns about the size of the 5.4-inch cover display. It's actually not that small, but Apple's decision to place the Dock vertically on the right-hand side means that you lose a lot of pixels to what is often empty space. Others complained about the lack of support for left-handed users (they kept asking me if I was left-handed). Some are even bothered by the dock's placement on the much larger inner display. You can't move it, and this will probably remain a key issue for many potential Duo owners.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1378px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:22.35%;"><img id="mBqUQe98MhhFy2UJR67kF7" name="No-Face-ID-on-Duo" alt="Apple iPhone Duo AMA" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mBqUQe98MhhFy2UJR67kF7-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1378" height="308" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Every single iPhone model now supports Face ID, with the notable exception of the new Duo. It's probably the single biggest Duo misstep, and many asked me if I was having trouble adjusting to using Touch ID again. Initially, I was, but I have gotten used to it. I hope the next Duo brings back facial recognition.</p><p>I probably got a dozen or so questions about battery life. Some reviewers have criticized the Duo for subpar battery life if you mainly use the larger inner screen. I did not find that, but I did field quite a few battery life questions from concerned potential buyers. I told them what my tests found: all-day battery life in a variety of situations.</p><p>I struggled a bit when people asked me to compare the Duo to the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/phones/iphone/iphone-18-pro-and-iphone-18-pro-max-review">iPhone 18 Pro Max</a>. I get it; they want to know if they should stick with what they know or, perhaps, try the awesome new thing. It's not easy, though, to directly compare the single-screen iPhone 18 Pro Max with the dual-display Duo. But leaving aside the screens, if you focus on, say, the cameras, you might stick with the 18 Pro Max, which offers a telephoto and a variable-aperture main camera. The Duo is also heavier than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which might be a deal-breaker for some.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1362px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:25.26%;"><img id="2mfWYRgW7XuSwhBhEqzNYP" name="heavier-than-iPhone-18-Pro-Max-Duo" alt="Apple iPhone Duo AMA" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2mfWYRgW7XuSwhBhEqzNYP-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1362" height="344" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>There were also a healthy number of comparisons to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 lineup, especially the similarly sized and shaped <a href="https://www.techradar.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-phones/i-went-hands-on-with-the-samsung-galaxy-z-fold-8-and-this-passport-shaped-oddity-has-revived-my-interest-in-foldable-phones">Galaxy Z Fold 8</a>. A few asked me to compare the cameras. Turns out that both the Z Fold 8 and Duo have just two external cameras: wide and ultra-wide, and the Z Fold 8 has just a couple of megapixels per camera on the Duo. Ultimately, it's a wash on the camera front.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1360px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:22.06%;"><img id="vCTXn5BQxwjgYfsciqJ6ne" name="comparison-to-z-fold-8-camera-Duo" alt="Apple iPhone Duo AMA" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vCTXn5BQxwjgYfsciqJ6ne-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1360" height="300" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>I got just as many questions about the cameras' quality, including the 12MP Center Stage camera on the outside and the 4MP inner camera. I found it interesting that many knew not to directly compare it to the new iPhone 18 Pro Max lenses and instead focused on the more comparable iPhone 17 Pro's wide and ultrawide. In my testing, I found the imagery was just as good as what I got from that now year-old device. I do, however, miss the telephoto lens.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1350px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:21.33%;"><img id="HNUxugtdaNi7qZBoFRLq6k" name="Surface-Duo-and-Duo" alt="Apple iPhone Duo AMA" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HNUxugtdaNi7qZBoFRLq6k-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1350" height="288" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>One person actually asked how this iPhone Duo is different from the Surface Duo that Microsoft launched in 2019 and discontinued in 2024. I gently explained that while the Surface Duo's inner screen had two displays, the iPhone Duo offers one flexible inner display.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1348px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:23.44%;"><img id="iJiVVYPod4Ari3xR42xvq" name="Pencil-on--Duo" alt="Apple iPhone Duo AMA" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iJiVVYPod4Ari3xR42xvq-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1348" height="316" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Apple hasn't said much about Apple Pencil support, but that may be because the Duo currently only supports the Apple Pencil USB-C. Why? It's the only one that you can still charge separately from, say, a tablet. Apple Pencil Pro needs the iPad to charge. The Duo cannot charge another device. As one Threads user put it, "Which basically means that my Pencil Pro is useless?" Mine too, my friend, mine, too.</p><div data-widget-type="merchantlink" data-model-name="Apple iPhone Duo"></div> </article> ]]>