Apple’s first-ever foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, is set to hit shelves on the 23rd. However, despite its hefty $2,000 price tag, critics point out that software development is struggling to keep pace with Apple’s hardware innovation, leaving key applications lagging behind.
Recently, CNN spent about a week testing the iPhone Duo provided by Apple. They evaluated that while the expansive screen offered an impressive new experience, there remains significant room for improvement in app compatibility and overall usability.
The iPhone Duo features a 5.4-inch outer display when folded, expanding into a 7.6-inch inner screen when unfolded. In its folded state, it boasts a size and form factor similar to a thick passport, but when opened, it transforms into a tablet smaller and thinner than an iPad mini.
Design and Multitasking Capabilities
Notably, the device virtually eliminates the crease in the middle of the screenβa common drawback of previous foldable phones. When half-folded like a book or placed in a tent mode, it can serve as a desk clock, digital photo frame, or calendar. Certain apps, such as the camera and Apple Fitness Plus, are designed to shift content to the top half of the screen when the device is half-folded like a laptop, though this requires support from app developers.
With the device unfolded, users can also take ‘selfies’ using the rear camera while checking their framing on the external screen, allowing for tripod-free photography and video recording. Multitasking has also been enhanced, enabling users to run two apps simultaneouslyβsuch as searching for information on one side while working on the other, or dragging an image from the Photos app directly into Messages.
App Compatibility Challenges
The core issue lies in the fact that many apps have not yet been optimized for these larger screens. CNN’s pre-launch testing revealed that popular apps like Google Maps, Gmail, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Uber failed to properly utilize the 7.6-inch display, often appearing as small windows in the center of the tablet-sized screen or leaving black bars on the sides.
This occurs because developers have yet to update their apps using Apple’s latest software development tools. Although several apps, including Google, TikTok, Instagram, and Threads, received updates during CNN’s testing period, the unpredictability of how an app’s interface will display before launching remains a drawback for user experience.
Conversely, already-optimized apps showcase the true potential of the iPhone Duo. Puzzle games display vibrant graphics across the expanded canvas, while Apple Books splits pages across both screens when the device is slightly folded like a physical book.
Battery, Camera, and Verdict
Battery performance is comparable to other modern flagship smartphones, with CNN’s tests showing a remaining charge of 35% to 46% by bedtime. Camera performance closely mirrors the iPhone 18 Pro, though the telephoto lens has been omitted, resulting in negligible differences in everyday photo quality.
The biggest hurdle remains the price. Starting at $2,000, the iPhone Duo matches the cost of Apple’s latest 14-inch MacBook Pro. While it offers the rare advantage of a pocketable device with a massive display, the high price tag may be difficult to justify for consumers who do not strictly require a large screen. CNN recommends holding off on immediate purchases until app developers fully adapt their software to the folding form factor.
