iPhone Duo reviews: $1,999 foldable praised for hardware, faulted for weight, apps

Outlets published reviews of Apple's iPhone Duo on 21 October 2026. MacRumors said they were the first reviews of the foldable, ahead of its launch on Friday. Engadget lists the price at $1,999 and calls it Apple's first foldable. Engadget said that, despite being heavy, expensive and late to market compared with Android rivals, the Duo had been worth the wait. CNN called its verdict complicated and said most people can probably wait to buy one. [ 1 , 4 , 7 ]

Engadget described a 5.4-inch outer OLED display with 120Hz ProMotion and peak brightness of up to 3,000 nits, and a 7.6-inch inner panel. Wired said the wider, shorter passport design feels better than earlier foldables and that the hinge glides open and stays put at various angles. 9to5Mac reported the Duo is 11.3mm thick closed and 5.2mm unfolded, and measures 117.8mm by 84.1mm when folded. CNN described a titanium body. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]

Wired and 9to5Mac both gave the weight as 254 grams. Wired said that is heavier than an iPhone 18 Pro Max and can get tiring, and contrasted it with the 201-gram Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8. 9to5Mac said the Duo is five grams heavier than the iPhone 18 Pro Max but found it more comfortable to hold because it is shorter and squatter, though it felt the weight in its wrist during extended one-handed use. [ 2 , 3 ]

CNN praised performance and battery life. Gizmodo's Raymond Wong, quoted by MacRumors, reported no material slowdown compared with the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, as the Duo uses the same A20 Pro chip. MacRumors said Apple claims the vapor chamber helps provide up to 35% higher sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro. A later MacRumors report said reviewers' views on heat varied. Joanna Stern ended a FaceTime call because the device got too warm, and Apple told her the warmth showed its thermal design moving heat away from the chip. The Verge said the Duo heats up during long camera use, especially with both displays on. [ 4 , 7 , 9 ]

Reviewers also pointed to software limits. Engadget and CNN said many apps still need optimising for the larger screen. Wired said Apple enforces a 50-50 split between two apps, does not allow a floating third app in split-screen, and that Touch ID takes getting used to after Face ID. The Verge's Nilay Patel and Allison Johnson, quoted by MacRumors, called the Duo expensive and full of compromises but fun, and incomplete as a product yet complete enough as an idea to see where things are going. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 ]