iPhone Duo sells for $1,999 with software gaps

Apple has released its first folding smartphone, the iPhone Duo, at a starting price of $1,999. The device enters the market seven years after Samsung launched the Galaxy Fold, which established the category. Wired's early assessment describes the hardware as a "pretty dang good foldable," suggesting that the extended development period allowed for meaningful refinements before public release.

The primary challenge for buyers is software compatibility. The Duo features a 5.4-inch outer screen and a 7.6-inch inner display, a form factor that many apps have not yet addressed. While Apple's own applications are redesigned for the new shape, numerous third-party programs display as narrow vertical strips with thick black bars on either side. Slack, Instagram, DoorDash, and WhatsApp have received updates for iOS 27.1, but Instagram still shows broken interface elements. Apple has also moved navigation controls to the right side of the screen instead of the center bottom. Because the phone is currently back-ordered for several weeks, developers may finish their updates before many customers receive their devices.

The hardware design marks a departure from recent iPhones by removing Face ID. The sensor is replaced by Touch ID, located on the right edge of the device. Wired attributes this change to the phone's thinness. This is the first time Touch ID has appeared on a flagship iPhone, though it remains on the iPhone SE, iPads, and MacBooks. The Dynamic Island is relocated to the top-right corner around the outer selfie camera and appears in the same position on the inner display during live activities.

Accessories require adjustment. The phone supports MagSafe, but it tips to one side when unfolded on a car dock or tripod due to uneven weight. Third-party makers may need to use anti-rotation magnets to fix this. Magnetic wallets also extend past the bottom edge because the Duo is shorter than other models, and Apple offers no official solution for this overhang.

Photography capabilities include a new feature that allows users to take selfies using the rear cameras while previewing on the outer screen. A control labeled "Slide to show camera" brings the full camera app to the outer display. The phone also includes "Duo Preview" for showing the viewfinder to the subject and "Kids Cue," which plays Snoopy animations to attract a child's attention. Multitasking allows users to run two apps side by side by dragging them to the edges of the inner screen. Tapping the middle bar locks the pair together in the Recent apps menu.

Apple warns users to be careful with the inner display. The matte nano-texture finish is described as an "integral" component, and the support page advises against attempting to remove it. Doing so could void the warranty. Apple states that a damaged finish can be replaced for $19 in warranty or $49 out of warranty, while a cracked inner display costs $999 without AppleCare+. A future software update will add support for the USB-C Apple Pencil, which Apple says will work well with the nano-texture surface.