iPhone Duo Goes on Sale at $1,999 With Unoptimized Apps and No Face ID
Apple's first foldable phone, seven years after Samsung's Galaxy Fold, ships with a 7.6-inch inner screen that many third-party apps don't yet fill.
By Pavel Bell ·
Apple has shipped its first folding phone, the iPhone Duo, seven years after Samsung opened the category with the Galaxy Fold. The device carries a $1,999 price tag and a 5.4-inch outer screen paired with a 7.6-inch inner display, a size and shape Apple has not used before.
Apple's own redesigned apps render correctly on the new layout. Many third-party apps do not. Slack, Instagram, DoorDash and WhatsApp have shipped updates for iOS 27.1, and some of those, including Instagram, still show broken interface elements. Apps that have not been updated appear as a narrow strip down the middle with black bars on both sides. Apple has also moved navigation controls to the right rail instead of the bottom center. The Duo is back-ordered for several weeks, so developers may close those gaps before most buyers get a device.
The Duo drops Face ID entirely. Apple uses Touch ID with the sensor on the right side of the phone, which is the first time Touch ID has appeared on a flagship iPhone since it remained on the iPhone SE, iPads and MacBooks. Apple has not stated why, though the device's thinness is a likely factor. The Dynamic Island stays, relocated to the top-right edge around the outer selfie camera, and it appears in that corner on the inner display during live activities.
The device works with MagSafe, but the unfolded phone tips to one side when mounted to a car dock or tripod because weight sits unevenly. Third-party makers could counter that with anti-rotation magnets, which would mean replacing some existing gear. Magnetic wallets can attach, but the Duo is shorter than other iPhones, so wallets extend past the bottom edge. Apple offers no official fix for that.
On the camera side, users can shoot selfies with the rear cameras while previewing on the outer screen. After opening the camera and flipping the phone, a control moves the full camera app, including modes and Photographic Styles, to the outer display and turns off the inner screen to block accidental touches. Apple built two separate features for other purposes: Duo Preview shows the person being photographed the viewfinder, and Kids Cue plays Snoopy animations on the outer screen to hold a child's attention.
The inner display needs care. Apple calls the matte nano-texture finish an integral component and warns users not to remove it; doing so could void the warranty. Replacing a damaged finish costs $19 at an Apple Store or authorized provider, or $49 out of warranty. A cracked inner screen runs $999 without AppleCare+, which is about half the phone's purchase price.
Apple says a software update later this year will add Reachability to the Duo, shifting an app left or right rather than down, along with support for the USB-C Apple Pencil. The stylus has no storage slot on the device. The keyboard can already be split for typing on the wider inner screen.
Source: Wired
