iPhone Duo: Can Apple’s First Foldable Smartphone Replace Your iPhone?

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents iPhone Duo: Can Apple’s First Foldable Smartphone Replace Your iPhone.

€2,339 and ten days of testing: This is how 01net begins its verdict on Apple’s first foldable iPhone. The price makes the iPhone Duo an ultra-premium device, while the editorial team promises exceptional processing and a folding display that has yet to be surpassed.

The key finding is that the iPhone Duo is indeed a foldable smartphone, but it is not an iPhone that transforms into a larger screen like a small iPad mini*. It is compact, finely crafted and technically ambitious. At the same time, the test reveals areas in which Apple had to make visible compromises with its first product of this kind.

The Crease Is Almost Invisible – But That Costs €55

The design

01net examined the fold and hinge mechanics immediately after unpacking. Both left a positive impression: According to the editorial team, the crease is the least visible of all foldable smartphones. It can still be seen under direct lighting or from certain viewing angles, but during normal use it recedes significantly.

The nano-textured filter plays a major role in this. It reduces reflections and makes the inner display appear matte rather than glossy. According to Apple, the filter can be replaced for €55 if it is damaged through use or the hinge mechanism. For a device with a €2,339 base price, this replacement makes repair costs visible.

The hinge mechanics

The hinge engineering is important not only for opening and closing the device. When unfolded, it initially responds softly and smoothly, but then offers increasing resistance. This makes it possible to set a desired opening angle and use the iPhone Duo in table mode, for example. When closing, the resistance decreases again before a clearly audible* click.

01net explicitly describes the successful fold and hinge mechanics as particularly well executed. The editorial team also emphasizes that this is Apple’s first opportunity to demonstrate its capabilities in this area.

A note on durability

According to 01net’s reports, Apple has responded to displays that showed signs of damage when folded. Only a limited number of devices are said to be affected. Anyone who is unsure about the construction should therefore pay close attention to the condition of the inner display.

The 7.6-Inch Display Is the Strongest Argument

Two different screens

On the outside is a 5.4-inch OLED display, while the inside opens up to reveal a 7.6-inch display with an aspect ratio of 4:3. Apple has deliberately chosen two different surfaces: The outer display is glossy, while the inner display is matte and nano-textured. According to 01net, it took the editorial team several days to get used to this duality. However, the two screens are not used for the same tasks.

According to 01lab’s measurements, the inner display delivers the best foldable screen the editorial team has measured so far. Its average color deviation is Delta E 2000 of 0.9 in the sRGB color space and 1.0 in the P3 color space. On gray tones, it reaches a value of 1.6; according to the measurements, Samsung’s direct competitor, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, reaches 2.4.

The reflection filter makes the difference

The biggest technical difference is the anti-reflective filter. The inner display achieves just 2 GU. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 reaches 93 GU, while the Pixel 11 Pro Fold reaches 68 GU. For 01net, this difference is particularly relevant in everyday use: Films, series, games and text remain pleasantly readable on the large inner display, even in high ambient light.

The outer display also delivers solid results. It measures 815 cd/m² at standard brightness, 2,904 cd/m² in sunlight and 1,553 cd/m² with HDR. This puts its standard brightness on a par with the iPhone 18 Pro*. That allows for an important point of context: The strong overall package is created not only by the larger inner display, but by the combination of two highly readable screens.

Four Camera Pixels Under the Display Produce Only Average Selfies

The selfie camera

Apple uses a camera area beneath the inner display for the selfie sensor. Apple deliberately opened the nano-textured filter and reduced the pixel density in that area so that more light could reach the camera. In the normal image, the hole or camera point is concealed by the app being displayed, but with the display tilted it can be seen from certain angles.

The technical solution alone does not fully resolve the quality problem. The sensor is restricted by its position beneath the display, and according to 01net, the selfie results are only acceptable. It is therefore relevant in practical terms that the camera does not necessarily have to be used for selfies. According to its own information, 01net also tests the device’s remaining photography capabilities, while this review focuses in detail on the under-display camera.

Touch ID and iOS Software Hold Back the Switch from the iPhone 18 Pro*

No Face ID on the foldable iPhone

Apple was unable to integrate Face ID into the iPhone Duo. Instead, the device relies on Touch ID in the side button. The regression is particularly noticeable if you are coming from an iPhone 17 Pro*: According to 01net, Face ID responds virtually instantly on that device, while Touch ID on the Duo takes one to two seconds.

The software brings another adjustment. The operating concept moves the elements displayed at the top and bottom of a classic iPhone to the right side of the screen. The status bar is at the top right, with the Dock below it. Apple is also working on an accessibility version for left-handed users, which is expected to be delivered in a later iOS 27 update.

Not all apps are ready yet

After ten days of testing, 01net reported display errors, a touchscreen that temporarily stopped responding and a Dynamic Island that did not correctly determine its position. 01net also categorizes apps according to their current degree of adaptation: Netflix works perfectly. Other apps are scaled and leave an empty area on the right. Apps that have not yet been adapted run only in a small window.

The situation may improve because, according to the editorial team, further updates were released daily. Nevertheless, the launch was unusually unfinished for an Apple product. This is precisely where the strongest argument against the outstanding hardware lies: At €2,339, the combination of an expensive device, 254 grams of weight, Touch ID, software problems and a limited selfie camera does not make a convincing case for an immediate switch from a classic iPhone.

Who Might Benefit from the Switch

The clear benefit

The iPhone Duo is aimed at iPhone users who are looking for a large, almost invisibly folding display and are consciously accepting the switch from a classic iPhone. The invisible crease, matte inner display and adjustable hinge position form the device’s strongest core. These are complemented by high-quality processing and, according to 01net, the leading display measurement.

By contrast, anyone primarily looking for a light, instantly unlockable Apple smartphone will encounter 53 grams more weight than the Galaxy Z Fold 8, slower Touch ID and an app ecosystem that is not yet fully ready. The under-display selfie camera also provides no reason to leave the familiar iPhone behind.

You can find 01net’s complete results and final verdict in its review of the iPhone Duo. Ultimately, the comparison with your current iPhone is decisive: The Duo offers the biggest technical leap in its display and folding mechanism. Whether this leap outweighs the price, weight and Apple’s existing drawbacks depends on how important large screen areas are to you in everyday life.