I just touched the iPhone Duo and Apple just solved the foldable crease problem in the most wonderfully basic way

Date:
Wed, 09 Sep 2026 21:57:43 +0000

Description:
Apple's first folding phone, the iPhone Duo, is already an unexpected delight.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Apple has officially entered
the folding phone market with the passport-sized and quite attractive iPhone Duo. I know, we all thought it would be called the Ultra, but perhaps Apple will save that superlative for another day (or product).

In some ways, the iPhone Duo is exactly what we expected. A 5.4-inch external display and a large 7.6-inch internal or main, unfolded one. The size, shape, and specs are somewhat similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 . But there are several exciting differences. @techradar

Candy - Lane 8 & Quentin Quivera Folded and in my hand, the iPhone Duo feels, quite honestly, nothing like any iPhone that's come before it. Heck, Apple even redesigned iOS to accommodate the unusually shaped displays, putting the dock and other controls on the right side (no word on whether you can move them to the other side). For larger screens, that might make everything more thumb accessible. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: Image 1 of 6 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image
credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Image 1 of 6 View Original Image 2 of 6 View Original Image 3 of 6 View Original Image 4 of 6 View Original Image 5 of 6 View Original Image 6 of 6 View Original The 5.4-inch external display is bright, sharp, and features a Center Stage camera (not in the center of the display, despite the name).

As with the Galaxy Z Fold 8, the shape does take some getting used to, but Apple's decision to use curved chrome edges and curves on the right side
(when you open it, you see four rounded corners) serves the device well. It's comfortable to hold. You may like 5 reasons I want the iPhone Duo more than every Android foldable Ive tested even without Face ID Apple Event 2026
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I wasn't entirely successful at folding and unfolding with one hand, but I
did do it easily with two and noted the solid feel of the hinge and that I could open and close it to varying degrees. It's hard to believe that this is also an IP68 (for dust and water resistance) device but Apple does love its challenges.

The 7.6-inch main display, though, is astonishing. Apple went a little wild
on the layering, mixing in numerous sheets of custom polymer, the OLED panel, a couple of glass layers, and a titanium backing (all held together with flexible glue that lets them slide back and forth against each other), but
the really exciting part is the topmost layer. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. The texture layer Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original When I talk to folding phone curious consumers, they all ask me the same thing: "Is there a crease?" Look, I explain: these are folding devices, and the engineering has to accommodate
the folding without breaking any of the various layers and, yes, the thin glass. There has to be a tiny bit of curvature remaining when you unfold.

Even on the excellent Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra , the crease is slightly perceptible in certain lighting.

The crease is gone on the iPhone Duo. I can feel it with my finger, but
cannot see it, because Apple decided to put a special nano-texture covering
on the main display. This has the effect of dispersing the light, especially around any spots where, normally, the crease might be visible. What to read next Here's how the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and iPhone Ultra will fix foldables in 2026 Apple's late foldables arrival puts pressure on it to level up the category Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra review: the best foldable just got a little bit better

This also gives that big screen a matte finish that looks and feels unusual
in the smartphone space, is unheard of for a foldable, and is generally lovely. I was seriously impressed. Let's play Image 1 of 3 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Image 1 of 3 View Original Image 2 of 3 View Original Image 3 of 3 View Original I didn't get a ton of time with this star of the show, but what I saw bodes well for Apple's first folding device.

Apple really thought through, for instance, the handoff from the cover screen to the main display. I tried this with a game and with Netflix, where I'd
open the app on the cover screen and then slowly open the iPhone Duo: the handoff from one screen to the other is perfection, a precision of connection that should please users and might excite anyone who ever wondered, "Why buy
a folding phone?" (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) I briefly played a console-level game on it, which showed off the fresh power of the new 2-nanometer A20 Pro chip, and took photos with all the cameras, including the 48MP main and 2x optical zoom. On the latter, I'm not thrilled that I get
just 2x zoom, but at least it's optical. Also, it's pretty clear that this thinner-than-the- iPhone Air (when unfolded) probably can't accommodate a longer telephoto lens.

There are a variety of settings for managing the cover screen and cameras so that, for instance, you can use the former as a viewfinder for the best
camera for top-notch selfies.

The main screen also hides a new FaceTime Camera, which I noticed effectively disappeared when you're not using it. Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original I love that you can set up the iPhone Duo as a desktop clock, though I noticed that it wasn't entirely obvious how you put it in StandBy mode without docking it or putting it to sleep. (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) The main screen is also big enough for multitasking, and I tried my hand at splitting it between Photos and
Messages: you drag an app into a side dock, and then it opens on one side. After I opened Photos and Messages, I dragged and dropped a photo into a message. It was a smooth operation.

The reorganization of the iOS interface might throw some, but it made intuitive sense to me as I was playing with the iPhone Duo. I found, though, that the Control Panel still works the same way as it does on other iPhones. (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Oh, the Pencil Two other things of note. The iPhone Duo will be the first iPhone to work with the USB-C Apple Pencil. That is a huge deal. I've been complaining for a while that the wonderful Galaxy Z Fold line lost that digitizing layer.

I cannot wait to try the Apple Pencil on that big screen (there were no Pencils in the demo space). I bet the nano-coating will even make a
difference in how the Pencil feels on the Display. I do not yet know if the iPhone Duo will also accept Apple Pencil Pro input, though I hope it does.

The other thing is that, yes, the iPhone Duo includes MagSafe. There are, by the way, two batteries that are promising "all-day" battery life.

This is also Apple's most expensive iPhone, starting at $1,999 / 1,999 / AU$3,499 for the 256GB model. Naturally, Apple will tell you it'll be far
more obtainable with a trade-in and the new leasing option (pay a fixed monthly sum for two years and then return it for a new one),

Overall, this is an exciting start for Apple's first foray into foldables. Sure, it stands on the shoulders of giants, but as is often the case, Apple's done all this in a very Apple-ly way, and in this case, that looks like a
very good thing. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Check Amazon



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