A month with Apple’s iPhone Duo: why I’m not going back

The reviewer moved his apps—including banking and finance services—to the iPhone Duo and put his other phones away. Unlike a short-term review, the month-long switch tested whether problems would build up enough to send him back to a Pro model. They did not. He says the experience has made him a foldable-phone convert.

The hinge remains smooth after dozens of folds and unfolds each day, and the inner-screen crease is still barely visible. He has not encountered the screen problems reported by some other owners. His main hardware irritation is grease on the inner display, which he finds difficult to remove, though it is usually hard to see. He has also adjusted to using the outer screen for quick checks and opening the phone for longer tasks. The volume buttons can still be awkward to locate.

The camera is the strongest reason he might reconsider. It lacks a telephoto option, and its performance is roughly comparable to an iPhone 16 or 17, a step down for someone accustomed to a recent Pro model. Battery life is also below that of the iPhone 18 Pro Max, but the Duo lasts a full day for him; he has never needed to charge it more than once a day.

Software remains uneven. Apple’s apps and features work well, the reviewer says, but video calls in Messenger, WhatsApp and FaceTime can behave differently depending on how the phone is held. Callers may appear upside down or in a narrow vertical window on the wide inner screen. Some third-party apps, including Google Authenticator and TradingView, have not been properly adapted, while other app updates feel like quick fixes.

The expansive display is what makes those drawbacks acceptable. The reviewer watched two episodes of Slow Horses on the phone, uses it on his desk to manage music, calendars, reminders and smart-home devices, and finds it better suited than a regular phone to sharing photos, videos and shopping pages. Its stereo speakers also provide sound he considers suitable for background music at a small gathering. For now, the screen’s benefits outweigh the compromises, and he says he does not see himself returning to a standard-sized phone anytime soon.