iPhone Duo

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iPhone Duo

thecosmicfrog

Comments (1102)

jazzpush2
I would legitimately purchase a 'smart' phone that's just basically a 15-year old flip phone with maps and a modern battery + software stack. Awaiting the inevitable analog trend to kick back up so there are solid options here.
hbarka
There’s a standard for paper sizes called the ISO 216 international standard, aka A-series paper sizes. You may be familiar with it outside of the American 8.5”x11” letter size. The simplicity, for example, where an A3 sheet is exactly twice the area of A4. One A3 sheet folded in half becomes two A4 sheets. This is intentional: when you fold or divide an A-series sheet exactly in half, the resulting sheets have the same proportions as the prior. The aspect ratio is preserved across all A-series paper sizes.The iPhone Duo is designed with this in mind. The aspect ratio any way you view it, folded or open, is preserved. Apple design knows a thing or two.
MPSimmons
Why do they insist on every new phone being bigger than the phones before them? I don't mind folding. I think it's cool, and a nice way to get a useful space. But I have big hands, and I can't use my iphone 17 now without two hands. This is even wider before unfolding.Who wants bigger phones? Who is like, "damn I wish I had a tablet that I could fold up and still barely fit in my pocket"?I want smaller phones. The width of the iPhone 4 was nearly perfect imo. If they would take modern display technology with approximately that width and expand it to 16:9, I think it would kill, even if it were relatively underpowered compared to the modern top of the line.
ksec
I think the Duo looks great. And from the few hands on video I have seen I think the Apple presentation actually doesn't do it justice. There is no crease at all! [1]On the note on this year's keynote. I can't be the only one who feels the whole vibe of the keynote changed. This isn't Tim Cook style keynote and John Ternus wasted no time to try and changed a few things already. I can't wait for John to further shake things up at Apple. But everything so far, all the small minor details suggest they are in the right direction.[1] https://x.com/mweinbach/status/2097753099159138631?s=46
anonu
As a recent Android foldable phone owner (Google Pixel), I'm excited that the Duo will get developers to actually design apps for foldables. Right now, some apps don't work at all and others are just stretched. I feel a better use of the screen space is around the corner for both Android foldable and Duo users.
mark_l_watson
I am 75, and have a ton of computer gear. I can imagine myself as an old man later in life, not wanting to do any programming, and just wanting a single digital device like a future version of this product. Let’s see what Apple has available in 10 years.
tiffanyh
I’m in a weird spot because my iPad is old and my iPhone old.So I’m in the market to buy new ones of each.So I’m now having to decide if I just buy the Duo instead of a new phone and new iPad.But seems like a worse phone and worse iPad - than standalone.But it also looks like the best foldable I’ve seen
twalichiewicz
Curious to see all the new interaction paradigms people come up with now that we have something physical that can sense degrees of freedom.A dumb one off the top of my head:When reading a book with both screens open, have the outer display show the cover of the book, and closing and opening the screens together causes a page turn. (Unfortunately also a great way to rapidly wear out the hinge mechanism.)
stillpointlab
These threads are often amusing with people obliviously asking: why doesn't Apple make exactly what I want? And then stating with certainty how well their custom requirements would sell.I'll probably wait and see how this phone does over the next few years. If it is still highly regarded by version 3 then I could imagine making the switch to a folding phone. For now I will remain conservative since my phone is such a critical piece of tech.
minimaxir
I'll give John Ternus credit: the demos are interesting and fun.Maybe not $2k fun + inherent risk with buying the first generation of an Apple product particularly after the Apple Vision Pro, but still.
nvarsj
What's up with all the negativity? Apple is finally doing something radical (for them) again with the iPhone, their bread and butter. And I'm all here for it. 10 years of the same form factor was getting old. I'm gonna buy this on release, easiest decision ever.
joshstrange
$2K starting price is rough. I’ve upgraded my iPhone every year since my first phone, the 3GS. It’s one of a few “splurge”-type things I allow myself. It’s a hobby and just fun to play with the new hotness. This year might break the cycle.I don’t care for the 18 Pro colors, I still love my orange 17 Pro, and I’m not sold on the Duo (functionality or price).I might still end up with a Duo but I’m very much on the fence. I’ll tell myself it’s for development/testing reasons, or just to play with the newest offering but I’m just not sure. I worry this will suffer from the same lack of developer interest as the AVP did. Yes, it’s very different from the AVP and SwiftUI will almost certainly make this process easier but I’m still not sure.
thesuitonym
We keep putting more powerful chips into phones, and giving them bigger screens, but we never turn them into useful computers. Why is this?
arjie
Genuinely bonkers. I never thought they’d do this. Just seems so like a Xiaomi Xi7 Super Max Fold Z or something. But I have to say that when I used one of those Android folding phones it was quite cool to end up with a big screen in your pocket.Just didn’t feel it was an Appleish product.
wiradikusuma
"Seated. Set iPhone Duo down and watch a show or follow a workout at the perfect viewing angle — with easy access to the controls on the bottom." -- Is the outside screen REALLY that strong? Is it okay to put it on a rough surface like gravel?
olalonde
Looks quite similar to the Huawei Pura X Max[0]. Funny how the cycle inverted.[0] https://consumer.huawei.com/cn/phones/pura-x-max/
maitola
Steve Jobs is folding in his grave.
Someone1234
It actually looks really nice; and I'd consider myself their target demographic conceptually. My last iPhone was a Pro for context.But at a $2K starting price, plus likely another $200 for the storage size they really expect people to purchase, in this economy, it is so far outside of my price range it is dead to me.Which is to say: Cool tech, but I've already dismissed it as something I want evaluate for my next phone just based on price alone.That's maybe the real death-nail for folding phones: Price hasn't yet shifted to allow them to be mass market rather than enthusiast phones.
pjerem
Oh wow.That looks extremely boring and unexciting. It doesn’t look like it’s Apple, it looks like Xiaoco Fold Z Duo 16.
Yhippa
I've had two folding phones and I am not going back until the issues are resolved. Here were my problems:1. After a while, I think dust would inevitably get in the hinges and wouldn't fold flat. I've seen demos in stores of newer gen Samsung foldable phones and it looks like those wouldn't fold flat2. The inner screen protector eventually lifted off the screen, causing catastrophic damage, and requiring repair (under warranty thankfully)3. The aspect ratios were weird. I ended up using native app sizes, making the extra space kind of a wasteOne thing I did like about the Samsung foldables was that when they were folded and using the front screen, I finally had a phone that fit my smaller hands! It was nice being able to use my thumb to reach the other side of the screen. Will be interesting to see how this works out because it looks decidedly wider.
pier25
Foldables seem like Homer's car to me. It's a worse phone and a worse tablet all in one.For reference:https://media.wired.com/photos/593252a1edfced5820d0fa07/3:2/...
MPSimmons
Why do they insist on every new phone being bigger than the phones before them?I don't mind folding. I think it's cool, and a nice way to get a useful space. But I have big hands, and I can't use my iphone 17 now without two hands. This is even wider before unfolding.Who wants bigger phones? Who is like, "damn I wish I had a tablet that I could fold up and still barely fit in my pocket"?I want smaller phones. The width of the iPhone 4 was nearly perfect imo. If they would take modern display technology with approximately that width and expand it to 16:9, I think it would kill, even if it were relatively underpowered compared to the modern top of the line.
InsideOutSanta
The people at Microsoft who made the Surface Duo must be feeling pretty weird seeing this. The name, the aspect ratio, the way the UI works, the gestures for setting up split-screen, the "use it as a tiny laptop" mode... It's all things they pioneered.Not that that's a bad thing. I absolutely loved the Surface Duo, it was my favorite phone until it stopped working correctly, and I hope other Android manufacturers take note of this, not just Samsung. It's just wild to see how similar this new Duo is to the original Duo.
factorialboy
It's priced identical to the Samsung Fold 8.The dimensions are also close.From a visual aesthetics perspective, I prefer the square edges of the Samsung Fold 8.Eager to check out the reviews of the software capabilities of the iPhone Duo.And I'm not sure about the inner screen's selfie camera. The under-screen camera has failed in previous devices, especially for zoom calls, it was abysmal.Excited for the nano texture displays though. For far too long, Samsung had beaten Apple with non-reflective displays.
jedberg
One thing I love about metric paper is the beauty of the simplicity: When you fold it, it maintains its ratio. This is because it is 1:1.41, aka 1:sqrt(2)When I saw that this new phone is 1:1.4, I instantly appreciated why it is that way. Metric paper wins again!
ClarityJones
I see some iPhone Pro Max buyers getting this simply because they paid around $1200 last year, then after trade-in ($885 for a 17PM), they could get into the Duo for $1,200.If someone had that amount of disposable income last year, they might have it to throw at another upgrade this year.
nunez
- It works with the pencil! This is a big big deal. I can do whiteboarding with customers quickly without having to break out a separate device, for example. Definitely unfortunate for the reMarkable Move and devices like that.- They actually might have nailed the hinge and crease problems.- I've been excited for this release ever since the rumor of the iPhone Air being a prototype of sorts for this came out. Two iPhone Airs fit very comfortably in my hip pack (though I only ever have one at a time).
GeekyBear
After four years of watching the JerryRigEverything YouTube channel snap Google's foldable phones in half at the same spot along the antenna lines, I'm looking forward to seeing how well this holds up.Something this expensive should not be that fragile year after year.
doctoboggan
Just a reminder to everyone, always buy the second version of any new product category, even from Apple. The first duo will look primitive in a few refresh cycles. It does look really cool though!
nazgulnarsil
9oz
stock_toaster
Give me a single-screen phone the size of this thing closed, and use the extra space inside for more battery and not more displays.Aside: I'd also love it if it could be plugged into an external display and have a "desktop mode" (like a macos VM) that gets suspended/resumed on connect/disconnect instead of just expanding the "mobile mode" across the new screen. I realize this is probably a dream too far for most companies though, as it doesn't allow them to segment the market as much as requiring people to buy multiple devices.
throwaway13337
It's so close to the "her" wallet thing that the main character pulls out to look at photos.It's just too big, and too metal.The form factor is good. I hope things move this direction.More broadly, it's interesting that the movie has a beautiful future aesthetic that influenced tech most in the recent years. The muted colors with natural materials mixed with ubiquitous tech that was in the background of a human in a humane world where people mostly walk places. I feel like the AI company aesthetic barrowed a lot from that movie. Right down to their office furniture.Now we just need to make a phone OS to put something like that on that isn't locked down. Forget the year of desktop linux. I am waiting for the year of phone linux. Android doesn't count.
ronsor
I still don't get the fanfare over folding phones. They tend to be more fragile, and if I really need a larger screen, I'd much rather use a laptop or tablet.
ivraatiems
$2,000 for a phone? Holy price point, Batman. No thanks.I assume the people who would buy something like this have enough money not to care, and also would not care about the second part of my comment, because they want New Thing or use their phones enough for it to be useful.I guess it might be the case that the only way to make the folding screen thing even remotely work is a very, very expensive manufacturing process. But as is often the case, I don't see how it's worth it?I want my phones smaller and with Touch ID, not enormous and wrinkly.
nerdjon
With some of what they showed, I wish they never separated iOS and iPadOS. The duo seems to be bringing more of the iPad features and if they could position this as one device to replace both (and the price point sure reflects that) it could be interesting.But without that, I don't see the use for myself. Though I also rock a 13" iPad Pro so even with that it would be a hard sell to replace both.I still am not sold on the entire idea of a foldable, there is some interesting things here and I will be interested to see how they position it over the next few generations.
jedberg
My wife's first question:Will this fit in a woman's hand?
minimaxir
Here's the Tech Specs page, which is slightly more hidden: https://www.apple.com/iphone-duo/specs/Notably, the inner screen has a nano‑texture finish (which Apple normally upcharges significantly for), which implies it is glass.
vonStackelberg
On a side note, the amount of text on the page is just crazy. I remember older releases of apple products being basically just a slide show. Now we have a wall of text and image carousels?
officeplant
Will have to give it a fingernail test in the apple store so I'm not destroying my own $2000 phone.
jumploops
It felt very "un-Apple" when they called it a foldable phone _before_ revealing it.The folding part is the thing the tech journalists say; done right, it shouldn't matter whether it's foldable or not.Bigger screen, pencil support, nano-glass, etc. The foldable part is obvious, why say it?
newman314
I was quite surprised to see the under display camera. Wasn't expecting that.Other than that, looks like there are some nice Duo specific features on iOS. $1999 is also surprising given that news outlets were reporting up to $2500. Plus it's price competitive with other foldables in the market.
skunkworker
I'll be curious to see how the hinge holds up against wear, tear and small particle intrusion over time. If people get to 2 years and it's still going great. Then I may pick up a Duo 3. But my adoption really comes down to the problems around the hinge.
Philip-J-Fry
The folding/unfolding animation is one of the coolest I've seen from a foldable. So slick.
hinkley
I feel like they should have started with a folding iPad.
w10-1
What about left-handed people? Will the controls line up on the left?
adrianmonk
https://www.apple.com/iphone-duo/specs/It took me a while to figure out I had to click "Explore" to get to the specs, so I'm saving you the trouble.As long as I'm griping about the web site... Apple, when you introduce a phone with a new and different form factor, please just tell me the dimensions straightaway. This one is shorter and wider than most phones. Is it too wide to fit in my pocket? I need the dimensions to answer that question.
sbdaman
[flagged]
digitaltrees
Why not make it have equal corners. This forced rounded edges is insane. The lack of symmetry is absolutely bad design
dinkleberg
It looks quite well done, though I'm definitely not in the target demographic for this. I'm happy with my high-end desktop devices and shittier mobile devices. The last thing I want is for my phone to be more capable and incentivize me to use it more lol. I use mine to call, text, listen to music, check email, use the map, track workouts, and basic web browsing. I don't need more than that.
nk_kolja
Reminds me of the windows fold phone. ‘‘Twas the best of phones, but out of my price range at the time. Now I have nostalgia of windows phone, the best phone os that never was.Even though I like the form factor I doubt I’d cash out 2k for it, seems like a waste just to spend more time on another screen.
low_tech_punk
iPhace Duo https://news.microsoft.com/surfaceduo/
noodlesUK
I really hope that in the coming years we will be able to get smaller phones back into the market. Apple compared this to the size of a passport. A passport seems even bigger than a normal iPhone, even when folded. A number of people (especially women with smaller hands) I know are holding onto their iPhone Minis for as long as possible. I’d love a phone that was roughly normal iphone sized when unfolded but was a flip phone à la Motorola razrs in years gone by. I wouldn’t even need a screen on the outside. I know it’s hard for a company like Apple to be able to market “less phone” as a good thing, and I know the iPhone mini didn’t do great commercially but there’s a small cohort of users clamoring to have something for them.
ElijahLynn
I've been out of the loop on foldable phones, and this is question is not related to specifically the iPhone Duo. How does it work that it doesn't show a crease in the middle? What's the breakthrough technology there? Or is there a visible crease?
spiralpolitik
Definitely a v1 product but it's an interesting device. Apple is rarely first to market, but they definitely produce the device that indicates the point where there is a market.You can also see where they are going. In a couple of years, assuming it sells well there will be a Pro model with a 3x fold and better camera system. I'm guessing to make in thinner they will have to drop USB-C and come up with a flat charging/data connector. The EU won't like that.The final interesting thing is this is the first Apple product that I can think of since the iPod era that they've released a product that will cannibalize another Apple product. If you were looking at getting a high end iPad Mini this replaces both phone and tablet.
superjan
The phone shows a date of April 1 in several screenshots. I would guess that is to pretend that the images were for an april fools joke in case they leaked?
lvl256
$1999 is ridiculous.Edit: Wow, I didn’t know Samsung foldable was priced similarly. It’s a lot of money to pay for something inherently fragile.
officeplant
Apple: Every one else does folding wrong!Also Apple: We've done it the exact way Samsung and Microsoft did it! We even used the same Duo name as Microsoft!
kemotep
The real trick is waiting to see if they make a iPhone Duo 3 or 4. Knowing they are committed to the form factor and it’s not another Mini would be nice to know.Also time to work out the hardware and software issues. Not trying to spend serious money on beta testing like a Vision Pro.
hankbond
At some point these phones are powerful enough that we need to be able go get a desktop experience that can run macOS. Why is a 600 dollar neo more capable for productivity than a 2000 dollar iphone with a much beefier chip?
Krastan
I'm surprised they weren't able to figure out face id and had to go back to touch id.
artmanja111
I’m not the target market for this phone at all, but I have to wonder how many people are going to take the 256 GB option for $1,999. It feels like that option only exists so they could show a starting price under $2,000.The 512 GB version for $2,199 seems like option you’d really want as a minimum, and then you’d need to add AppleCare on top of that. Pricey!
mortsnort
I guess we'll find out of there's much of a market for $2k phones. For the price one could get a regular iPhone and a decent iPad.
amelius
This defeats the purpose. Even when folded it is too large! Fail.
mentos
I’m curious to see how using Windows Remote Desktop iOS App will feel at this size if I can be productive or not.My previous thought was to use XReal glasses with my existing iPhone but that’s not realistic in an office environment.
cesarvarela
The transition effect from closed to open is so chef's kiss; the little things that set Apple apart.
lbreakjai
It looks beautiful, but it’s definitely not something I’d buy in its first generation. I'd really want to wait and see how it fares after a year of real life usage.
TSiege
Foldable gimmicks aside the new materials and components sound really cool. How they have the screen layers that move freely seems innovative. The new ceramic they’re using for the outer shell/screen sounds great and I hope we see it in more of their devices:“Ceramic Shield 2 on the outer display reduces glare and provides 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation”
3pm
Duo screen: 7.6" vs iPad mini: 8.3". Duo will support Apple Pencil later. I wonder if many people with iPhone+iPad combination can now replace it with one device.
zuInnp
I tried the Samsung one with the same form factor in a store , and that is pretty nice. As someone traveling via plane or train, I can easily see myself using this and not carrying my tablet with me. However, just too expensive for my taste. I get a lot of new batteries for my current 12 pro for that price .
improgrammer007
I love my iPhone SE 3rd gen. Perfect form factor. Neither too big nor too small to be able to do useful things on it. My hands and arms hurt using large phones. I am so used to using one hand to operate phones. My previous was iPhone SE 1st gen. Why do people need such a large phone in day to day life usage? Carry an iPad/tablet if you really need one.
vulk
I might be a minority but I never had interested in this foldable phone trend where you get just a bigger screen. I can't even consider dual display smartphone as a foldable phone. The benchmark for a foldable phone was Motorola Razr V3. I am not sure where they are going they really need some new people with some fresh ideas and vision. Sooner or later someone is going to start eating their lunch.
halflife
It’s marked ip68, I wonder how they made the hinge water and dust proof
rudyp_dev
Really want information about if there is a left-handed software setting for the new side-oriented buttons
samgranieri
I'll pass on this. Less moving parts appeals to me. I'm sure the HW and SW engineers at Apple did a great job, but, i like the current form factor.
siddthesquid
I'm a bit biased here, but I feel like the more form factors we introduce, the worse apps are going to get as developers now have to account for it (and they won't, eg YouTube on ipad). Do people actually like foldable phones enough?
fudged71
A 2.39:1 cinematic movie occupies about 16.13 in² on Duo and 16.26 in² on 18 Pro Max
teekert
Looking forward to the first broken screens, and Apple's official reply:"You're folding it wrong."
xutopia
I get excited about this but that's because I want this... not because I need it.What I actually need might be less of an iPhone and more of a nano than a duo. Something small and portable that doesn't make me spend every spare second on the phone.
haunter
The new iPhone Duo in single screen mode is the same size (5.4") as the iPhone 13 mini but with a different aspect ratiohttps://photos.reportinglive.com/p/2026-09-09/f-bf86c6f5adb3...
neovive
I wonder if there's a practical way to protect the phone with a case, given that it folds and the dual screen is a big selling point. It feels like one accidental drop on concrete or a ceramic floor would cause a lot of damage.
layer8
This has some interesting features, but also a number of questionable decisions. The inner front camera placement is awkward for non-camera use, because despite being under-display won’t be completely invisible (as some shots in the presentation show). The on-screen unfolding transition is cringy and distracting. Apps and multitasking behaving differently on the inner screen depending on whether the hinge is flat or bent creates complexity and trade-offs, like when bending then phone so that it can stand on its own, or lie on an uneven surface. On the front screen, reserving the edge for special controls reduces the thumb reach for general content (like the app icons on the home screen).
meetpateltech
Anyone noticed the headline has two "Hello"s for a phone that folds in two? John Ternus' first tweet was just "hello" and he opened the event the same way.This has to be on purpose.
b3ing
I wonder if you can hook it up to a monitor and use it like macOS. That would be the killer phone and killer laptop, then you just need to connect a mouse in and display or tv and work wherever. But I doubt Apple will ever do that, I don’t think they are bold enough to cannibalize their laptops.Imagine being able to hook up a small slab to a keyboard or mouse Bluetooth then connect to a monitor, tablet or hotel tv, like the Samsung Dex can do. And run full laptop/desktop applications. One can dream
anon
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rudyp_dev
I'm a little worried about the buttons moving up along the side, since I use my phone with my left hand... Hopefully there is more information about whether the OS supports moving the controls to the left, or even keeping them at the bottom.
jerf
So, just in general, I've been seeing more and more foldable phones like this. How well are they holding up now? Having Apple use one seems to be at least somewhat of a vote of confidence that the tech has reached some level of acceptable maturity, so I assume "not trash", but I don't know how good that represents. I'm a compulsive fiddler so I'm not really in the market for a phone I can fiddle to death without even consciously realizing it, but I'm at least curious if the tech is reaching the point where one might expect a more normal user to casually expect them to last 2+ years with normal use.
jonathanlb
My hope is that Apple getting in on this design will influence eBook makers to jump on the bandwagon.
1970-01-01
Google and Samsung have been at this for years. Nothing here is actual innovation, is it?
post_break
Somewhat related, Apple snuck in a $100 price increase on the regular iPhone 17.
nkotov
It was interesting to see no shots of the iPhone Duo being used as an actual phone and I think because it probably will look silly.That being said, this is the device I always wanted. Something between an iPad and iPhone.
a_e_k
$2000!I really don't get why people spend so much on flagship phones! I tend to aim for $200 Motos for me and my family, and it feels like it's a 90%+ solution at a tenth of the price. I can still browse the web, text with people, make calls, listen to music, and take pictures. They still last for years, and if they get dropped and the screen cracks, it just means its time to upgrade. What am I missing here?
vonStackelberg
I have not much to say about the device, probably great. But the image selection for showcasing the camera improvements seems odd. As a non US person, i have the impression it tries to tailor its branding the most cliche type of peer groups. The result seems quite ridiculous
anon
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NamTaf
All this so people can watch The Odyssey as Nolan intended whilst on the go.More seriously though, now do just the front screen on a non-folding device. It can even remain as thick as this thing when it's folded.
SJMG
Wow coming apple pencil support! That will be pretty awesome.
snailmailman
Interesting that there seems to be no FaceID? They only mentioned TouchID. I assume it’s a limitation of the under-screen camera.They’ve been doing Touch ID instead of faceID with some of their products a few times, I think some of the iPad models? but unfortunately touchID has like a 20% success rate with my fingers. FaceID works 100% of the time for me. I’ve never had good luck with any fingerprint scanners. I hope they can someday solve the issues with FaceID under the screen.I wasn’t going to buy this product anyway. My current phone works and I have zero reason to upgrade. But if I was in the market, no facial recognition is honestly a dealbreaker.
emacdona
I used to be one of those people that would countdown the hours to Apple's launch events and tune in for the live stream. I was never someone who updated my iPhone every year, but I _did_ update my iPhone every two years.Now, I can't even remember what version iPhone I have. I just remember that I bought it after my last one stopped working (after maybe 5 or 6 years of having it). I won't lie: part of the reason is that I'm just getting older and care less about these things.But a bigger part is that new tech just isn't fun anymore...I _hate_ using my current iPhone for surfing the web... because I can't run the full suite of ad-blocking software that I run on my computer (Firefox + uBlock, sponsor block; Little Snitch with tons of block lists). I hate that all that ad-blocking software is necessary... but that's a totally different rant.I _hate_ that I'm being asked to spend $2000 on a device that will, by default, surveil me 24x7. I can spend HOURS trying to disable every feature designed to track me... and still not be certain that somewhere in the TOS that I've still given permission for them to vacuum up SOME piece of information about me.And I _hate_ that Apple is now an ad company.And yes, I acknowledge that with respect to privacy, Apple is STILL the less bad choice (compared to Android).And yes, I acknowledge that there are other options. In fact, when this iPhone dies, I plan on getting a Pixel and putting GrapheneOS on it.I guess what I'm saying is... I hope that there are more people like me out there... who are sick of paying thousands of dollars for devices that, instead of serving me, serve those who want to collect my information so they can sell me stuff.edit: "because I can't" instead of "because can't"
percentcer
Despite what the marketing material would have you believe you can always see the fold. Even when it's fully open. Folding screens have been a solution in search of problem for like a decade now
mhh__
The folding phones are genuinely interesting although all the cool demos I've seen people do irl have been quite reliant on android being quite liberal as to what software you can run
igmn
Worse in most ways than every other iPhone, more expensive, gets permanently (sometimes deathly) damaged by fingernails, keys, sand, plastic and literally anything that's harder than about a fingernail. All the supposedly unique usecases can be resolved by a $1 kickstand, a $50 speaker, or a $500 iPad plus a non-foldable phone. You can get a whole MacBook too. So, no thanks.
DamnInteresting
A stand-alone e-ink e-book reader in this form factor would be amazing.
anon
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joenot443
Did anybody want this?
floturcocantsee
They were very evasive on what the inner screen was made of. I'm going to assume its the same plastic all the other folding phones are made of.
wartywhoa23
Ladies and gentlemen, unfold your planned obsolescence! Be right at the crease of the progress!
bee_rider
It looks neat but I’m confused by the layout. It has a smaller screen on the “outside” and then a big foldable double screen on the “inside.” Why? Why not wrap around the outside? You’d get to use all of the screen real estate at once, and the fold would be around a larger radius.I’m sure there’s a good reason but what is it?
neom
Think I'll just wait for the rumored iPhone Air 2. iPhone Air is for sure the best phone I've ever owned, the battery life doesn't bother me but the camera isn't ideal at all. Duo looks cool but I'm not sure I need a device that will encourage me to "play" on my phone more than I already shouldn't.
k__
Nice form factor.I have a Samsung Fold 4. The front screen is too narrow and the folding screen doesn't open all the way anymore.Not what I expected from a 1400€ phone.
roshanabdullah1
This looks like an IPAD in your hands. looks great <3
miramba
I want the hardware, but with Linux! SteamOS or bazzite would be a good start..
ChrisMarshallNY
Absolutely none of the announcements today, make me want to go out and get something. I am giving the Duo a year or two, to work out the bugs, and get more capability. The extra screen space isn't really interesting to me.The only ones I might consider, are the new base AirPods. I have never really warmed to the Pros (I have two pairs, but like the regular ones better).I am looking forward to iOS27. I'm interested in seeing how the simulator presents the Duo.
dzonga
for a first foldable iteration - apple has hit it out the park compared to other foldables on the market.when the google & Samsung ones first came out they were plagued with problems.but I think apple should've also had a foldable in the form of a razr ultra since they already have an iPhone air.
achow
I cannot believe that the central crease could disappear altogether!Suspiciously could not see reviews of it yet - usually bloggers like mkbhd get their hands on early, and they release the reviews moment the embargo is off, usually when live event is over. This time nothing.
ClimaxGravely
I guess it's not cool but if i had a fold phone I'd much prefer it be like the nintendo DS with 2 separate screens (taking up the whole space though). If they can make it foldable they should be able to have 2 screens without a bezel
altern8
I feel like the aspect ratio is a lot better than existing phones. It's basically a tablet.
yesfitz
iPhone Duo is more like iPad Pocket. Touch ID + Apple Pencil Support coming later this year. It looks physically uncomfortable to hold.I was really hoping they were going to slap an Apple Watch screen on the back of an iPhone Air and fold that in half.I'll be waiting for an iPhone Duo Mini, I guess.
jey
Personally I love this concept. I’d be able to stop carrying my laptop around and just monitor/respond to things via SSH from my phone.
bob1029
That hinge mechanism looks like some pretty wild engineering to me.
comandillos
What's the value of using one of these phones running iOS? iOS is great for media consumption and not so much for productivity... so I don't understand very well the use cases... apart from watching Netflix I guess?
TYPE_FASTER
Huh, I kinda like the form factor of the folded Duo...don't even need to unfold it...
anon
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TYPE_FASTER
Huh, I kinda like the form factor of the folded Duo...don't even need to unfold it...
docdeek
How do you put a case on a foldable phone? Or do you not put one on, rely on the ceramic to protect the screen, and pay for Apple Care for cheap replacement screens?
drunkonvinyl
looks nice, but if i still can't use terminal or closer to native cli, the pixel fold 10 with termux is still the right device for on-the-go development. termius is ok, but with termux i can run emacs on the pixel.
pipeline_peak
Total e-waste product.Everyone knows how badly these things break with moderate use. You’re basically buying with the expectation you’ll have to replace it.Boring company, lost vision.
fishtoaster
The weight is interesting: 8.96 ounces (254 grams).Not much more than the 18 pro max - 8.78 ounces (249 grams). The Duo sure looks chonky, but that's not the end of the world.
kombine
The hardware is probably stellar and it must be an incredible reading device, but it's 2026 and I refuse to buy a device with a proprietary locked down software ecosystem.
randusername
Well "kid cue" is pretty uncomfortable for some reason
green-salt
TouchID only is an interesting choice, very interested in the 2nd iteration after we see the crease and hinge wear after a few thousand actuations.
techteach00
A foldable iPad that can make phone calls?
didip
It looks very useful with all the software integrations. Now the price tag however... Without financing it would be hard for majority of buyers to justify.
lofaszvanitt
Boooring. Apple stopped innovating. They just copy and integrate new things into their phones. Steve Jobs is turning in his grave.
tripdout
It looks very wide in the unfolded configuration.
timpera
Panos Panay must be so vindicated right now. The Surface Duo truly was ahead of its time.
makeitdouble
Are the on screen controls fixed to the right ?The curved right side makes me think so, but it sound like a pain for people using their phone left hand dominantly.
kaikayy
So excited to see if the "apple adoption delay" holds true here. Like more durability and actual long term software support.
SirFatty
Think different :-D
anon
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yunwal
Anyone understand how cases will work for this?
sdcfgy
Can’t wait until my colleague who DMed me mid presentation to get one and break it like he did with his two Samsung ones.
anon
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aurareturn
I wonder if the side bar controls can be moved to the left side. I always hold my phone using my left hand.
t1234s
A terminal app would be cool where the bottom half is a decent keyboard with arrow/pg keys
charamis
I’d like a comeback of the live events at some point. Especially now that there is a new CEO.
willis936
It makes the worst part of the iphone: text entry, even worse. I love the idea of a more capable PDA, but typing is more important than ever and it must be improved. Keyboards need to be a focus. Use eye tracking, use finger tracking, add physical buttons, just try something. Also, please fix the swiped keyboard software. It's unbearable. Admit it, fix it, quickly please.
bilsbie
Do you think this would work well for coding?
mrcwinn
What is it about Hacker News that draws only criticism and negativity? Is it even possible to build a community that's optimistic?
bluepeter
Sandy ant video intro is good. Love the whimsical fun music, whatever it is.
a_paddy
The top right selfie camera is a "courageous" choice.
erelong
interesting design, would like a phone that opens up with a touch-typeable keyboard / nub mouse (to be like a pocket laptop / umpc)
pagade
Was there a reference to using AI to decide where to place the hinges?
hypfer
Why do these things exist?I mean I do understand the appeal of the idea of folding smartphones, but I did not hear about any miracle material breakthroughs lately. So.. how can this exist? Why does it say that it is durable, when it has to be made out of materials that cannot be durable or else they wouldn't fold.Did something change there and I'm just using stale data for that assessment, or is "durability" just not as valuable to the target audience?
parasxos
This will be another flop just like the iPhone Air. $2000 is f**ing crazy. A MacBook Pro is the same price haha. The storage is also shit 256gb??
dramm
This is the kind of product the make all out lives better. I mean the pure entertainment value it will bring being able to watch eager Apple fan bois new iPhone Duo screen crack, or the hinges start grinding, or ...
tripdout
It looks very wide in the unfolded configuration.
thepasswordis
I'm interested to see what cases for this will look like.
nish__
Been using a galaxy fold for years now. This is the future.
james_marks
First iPhone I've actually wanted in a long time.
Insanity
Honestly don't see the appeal of foldable phones. I don't use my phone a lot, but the form factor even as a small tablet is not something useful for my phone use-cases.When I'm at home, I can just use my iPad. When I'm on the road, I don't need to be watching content on a slightly larger screen.I get that I'm not the target audience, but it's still confusing to me why people like foldable phones.
ModernMech
The Microsoft Courier lives on!
andrewmlevy
Love the FaceTime camera behind the display
low_tech_punk
This made history because Apple never copied Microsoft before. https://news.microsoft.com/surfaceduo/
00ze
Ugh; folding screens are so failure prone these things just exacerbate e-waste problemsWould rather ditch my phone size thing and be able to pair a cellular Watch to iPad Mini size thing that also has "50% more screen" than iPhone MaxGen AI could take telemetry like GPS from Watch and recreate most adventures without need of all the pictures; I don't care if every little thing like a day hike is captured "for real"Would still hire a photographer for actual meaningful moments like weddings and graduations
gshakir
Is it thicker than iPhone pro when folded?I want it more thinner!!
throw03172019
How will a case work on this thing?
croes
Does this hand look normal?https://store.storeimages.cdn-apple.com/1/as-images.apple.co...
anon
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r0fl
Only duo thousand dollarsGreat branding by the new CEO
anon
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napolux
f*ck you if you’re left-handed like me
corvad
Surprised it was not named iPhone 18 Duo.
corvad
John Ternus as CEO seems to be good.
anon
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cyberax
The rounded corners look ridiculous on this phone. They also cut off a non-trivial part of the displayed content now.
ck2
I find the new watches more interesting* https://www.wired.com/story/apple-watch-series-12-apple-watc...it's a mistake though to demand an iphone to own the watch (can't configure it otherwise)always held me back from ever buying an apple watch, don't want an iphone or ipad
cute_boi
Whats the point of big screen when we can't even install the app we want. Sideloading works for 7 days and there is artificial limitation of 7-8 App Ids which sucks.
n42
I am really quite disappointed this was not taken as an opportunity to make the default form factor smaller. Instead it seems like the folded mode is larger than a pro max, which is insane. I guess I'll just continue with the normal phones.It seems they are segmenting the market on creator vs consumer between the pro and the duo, and betting the consumers want this form factor.
anon
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gib444
In practice, it'll just be for TikTok (or other shorts) permanently on one side, right?I guess people spend more money than even this on other addictions
octernion
will buy it for the kid cue feature alone; what a neat idea. i mainly use my iphone for reading books and taking pictures of my kids so the format will be perfect for me.
crooked-v
So where's the add-on that adds a thumbstick and some buttons so I can play DS games on it?
ukd1
$1999
brap
Folded phones are the essence of “just because you can doesn’t mean you should”
IAmNotACellist
So brave of Apple to make the world's first foldable phone
corvad
$2K is quite a lot.
t1234s
I was thinking it would be priced cheaper than an 18 pro and an ipad mini
vrosas
You're going to look very silly taking a call on that.
toxik
$2000 is crazy talk
jdprgm
$2,000 for a fucking phone. We really have collectively lost the plot.
LoganDark
I see the nano-texture is non-negotiable -- you won't get a clear screen with the Duo. I'm incredibly skeptical of this, and I'll have to check it out once it's in-store to see if that's even something I could tolerate in daily use. When I checked out a Studio Display with nano-texture, I could not stand it because of the shimmery rainbow grain, somewhat like staring through Scotch tape, and the general fuzziness of text. Not sure if that's improved, since Apple doesn't address flaws in their past products.
arghtw
Am I the only one not interested in a folding phone?
andrewla
Annoying that they gave this thing touch id but not the non-folding version.Restoring Touch ID is one of the things that might make me upgrade my existing iPhone before its time.
perching_aix
I'm not sure whether this counts substantive enough, but WOW that thing looks absolutely comical, lolNaturally, I can already see people deeming it to be the most beautiful thing ever though.Truly, I'll never understand Apple, nor their design language.
krttherealest
samsung fold lookalike
llmslave
Buying this immediately and getting rid of my laptop, going full AI native to do all my work. Never sitting in front of a laptop again.
dyauspitr
What I am most interested in is what the fold line looks like and I guess we won’t know until we start getting YouTube reviews.
tamimio
If there was an iPhone like a pen in form factor (like nokia 7280) I would buy it in a heartbeat.
ex-aws-dude
I don't think the price is that crazy considering how often you use your phoneWhat other item do you own that you spend so many hours using
jimt1234
Not available in US: https://consumer.huawei.com/my/phones/mate-xt-ultimate-desig...
rdm_blackhole
I don't see the appeal of this or the Phone 18 for the matter. I have an (old) iPhone 15 Pro that just works so the upgrade just doesnt seem worth it.Also I think it would be quite bulky to carry the Duo in a pocket all day long.
poly2it
I'm looking forward to doing code review on the go on a phone like this! Once a GrapheneOS-compatible brand copies it, that is.
anon
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well_ackshually
Watching my iOS colleagues tear their hair out with SwiftUI's lack of proper support of foldables for the next... Two years about will be highly entertaining.
JohnHaugeland
my beloved surface duo has returned <3
hackerbeat
cool. now can we please get a 32 inch iMac next?
ggcr
Seems like a big engineering feat by Apple, but for real, who asked for this?Edit: Is there that many demand for a foldable iPhone that justifies Apple making such engineering investment?
bellowsgulch
I want it, but for $2,000, I want to be able to do so much more.
m3kw9
App developers gonna have extra work
retired
No SIM slot. Seems like Apple is only thinking of the US market. Will not be getting the Duo as I will not be able to browse the web outside my home.Edit: Rate limited so can't reply to the comments. I live in Spain, can't switch to eSIM. I know that the US has 100% integration of eSIM across all providers but outside the US it's not that great. I use eSIM and SIM a lot, have lots of cards and subscriptions. For my main subscription I can't switch to eSIM (yet).
behnamoh
Steve Jobs would roll in his grave due to lack of symmetry in this.
dmitrygr
Looking forward to reviews after a few months of use. So far all the foldables I've seen get destroyed quite fast.
xlayn
unleashes unparallel, unrivaled, totally new, amazing, exciting new ways of interacting with the MOST POW3RFUL!!!!!then all the photos either what's on the inside it's repeated whats on the outside,or... and hold your breath... you can show on one side the calendar and on the other side the clock... now you can breath...Meh, another 2 or 3$k gadget that does the same as the previous one?
retired
No SIM slot. So I have to carry a mobile hotspot if I want to browse the internet outside my home.It’s like Apple forgets there is a world outside the US where eSIM is not a thing.
rsync
"Short everything this guy has ever touched ..."
voidfunc
Lol $2K. Fuck that.
dude250711
This would have been quite impressive just 5 years ago.
fortran77
See also: Microsoft Surface Duo https://news.microsoft.com/surfaceduo/?msockid=23b070bbb5b76...Can Apple do anything original?
codingisfreedom
“The largest iPhone display ever”Gosh I hate that idiotic marketing.
tiahura
$2000 and they can’t give you the full display? What stupid design document from 1985 says people want the corners of their screen cut off?
sajithdilshan
2300Euros in Germany. That’s a hard pass.
semiinfinitely
if only it ran linux
exabrial
shit, I'd take this form factor but with a physical keyboard.
oliv__
I feel bad for iOS developers... Good luck supporting yet another format for your apps
FpUser
>"breakthrough foldable design" - and what exact part of it is "breakthrough"? Do they have "invisible fold"?
kittikitti
I'm really happy about this new form factor. Things were becoming too conformist where everyone needed to adopt the lowest common denominator in order to fit in. It seemed like anything different was met with significantly more skepticism than curiosity. I embrace informed skepticism but most of it is ignorant. I think people will still be skeptical about the foldable iPhone but mainly out of ignorance of this form factor.This phone will suck for the concern trolls who are best described as deeply conservative but will try their best pointing out concerns while masquerading as whatever will convince people.
throwaway613746
[dead]
likelybot
[dead]
omidggmh
[dead]
MisterCrabs
[dead]
wazzap
[flagged]
IAmNotACellist
[flagged]
gtadesktop1
[flagged]
rvz
Another status symbol has been created.But once again as I said before [0][1], don't buy the first version of an Apple product.[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23638202[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26361985
varispeed
It looks meh. Seems like Apple is following, no longer leading. Samsung feels more polished.
baalimago
I suspect I would get greater value by simply duct-taping two iPhones together into a fold.
roundabout-host
Interesting, but of no use as I can't replace its OS.
BatFastard
Go Apple, bring up the rear!Can they even do anything new?
sgallant
why is Apple releasing new products when Siri is falling so short compared to the industry. Make Siri amazing would improve every apple product immensely.
8by3
I'm so happy I stopped caring about new phones about five years ago, since then I've spent about $200 on phones – for a used pixel 8 that I installed GrapheneOS on.Consumerism is mad.
antics9
I’ll not buy a new iPhone until they release a new mini. No, this duo is not worth it.
MYEUHD
It took them only 7 years to catch up to Samsung!10 years from now people will claim Apple invented folding smartphones or made them mainstream, just like they claim the same thing now about smartwatches.
yuhmahp
Looks like an Android. Couldn't frame it like the iconic notch / dynamic island. Not immediately recognizable. Arrived too late.