MKBHD, Joanna Stern, iJustine, and others have posted their iPhone Duo videos. They love the hinge, miss Face ID, and find the apps rough.
Eduardo··4 min read
The first video reviews of the iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable iPhone, went up on Wednesday, October 21, when the review embargo lifted (the agreed date when press can publish their testing). Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), Joanna Stern, iJustine, Michael Fisher (MrMobile), Brian Tong, and Tyler Stalman posted their videos to YouTube alongside dozens of written reviews, two days before the phone arrives in stores on Friday, October 23. The overall mood, per MacStories' roundup, fits in its headline: great hinge, messy apps, and everybody misses Face ID.
Apple hasn't said anything publicly about the review units or the exact embargo time. Several reviewers talk about roughly a week of use: iJustine says so in her video's title, and Chance Miller (9to5Mac) and Stefan Vazharov (Popular Mechanics) mention it in their write-ups, per Computerworld. MacStories' Federico Viticci notes that he didn't get a unit ahead of the embargo.
There was one early look from outside the press: on Tuesday, October 20, the YouTube channel Kingmi Mobile posted the first unboxing, according to MacRumors, which doesn't identify who filmed it or how they got a unit early. MacRumors points out that the Duo ships unfolded in the box; per Apple's tech specs, the only thing with it is a 1-meter USB-C cable.
Where the videos agree
Unless noted otherwise, the opinions in this section come from the quotes collected in MacStories' roundup.
Face ID. The Duo uses Touch ID in the side button, as Apple confirms. Brownlee says, "I really think Face ID is going to be the number one thing people miss coming from other iPhones," and Stern openly begs it to come back.
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The hinge. It's the most consistent praise. In Stern's testing, the phone still felt nearly new after 32,000 machine folds.
Apps. Stern calls them sloppy and inconsistent. Fisher compares this stage to the early iPad days: unoptimized apps look rough, though some big developers are already adapting, according to 9to5Google's roundup.
Battery. Apple promises up to 24 hours of use when both displays are used equally. On 17-hour days of heavy use, Fisher had between 10% and 20% left at bedtime.
Weight. The Duo weighs 254 grams (8.96 ounces), per the spec sheet. Brownlee thinks a version 20% lighter would keep owners happier after a week or two.
Cameras. Opinions split. Brownlee calls the under-display front camera on the inner screen "trash" for photos. Stalman, who compared it with the iPhone Pro, grants that the Pro has a bigger, better sensor but says "most people are not going to spot the difference." Fisher says, "I don't think it's a stretch to call this the best camera on a foldable in the US." Several reviews, per Computerworld, regret the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens: the "optical-quality" 2x Apple advertises comes from the 48MP main camera, per its tech specs.
Before you spend $1,999
The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for 256GB, then $2,199 for 512GB, $2,599 for 1TB, and $3,199 for 2TB on Apple's US store. In Mexico it ranges from 47,999 to 77,999 pesos, per Apple's Mexico store, and Mexico is in the first wave, with availability on Friday, October 23.
What weighs most in the videos isn't the hardware but the apps, and that's up to each developer. Apple has accepted foldable-optimized apps since early this month, as we covered here, but recompiling and redesigning take time. If your daily apps include your bank, government services, or smaller local apps, check whether they're optimized before you buy.
On deliveries, Apple's online stores in the US and Mexico only say it's available starting October 23, with no delivery estimate shown.
My take
What strikes me is how even the verdict is: nobody doubts the hardware, and almost nobody is satisfied with the software. That's good news in the medium term, because apps get fixed with updates and hinges don't. But it also means that anyone buying on Friday is paying $1,999 for a device that still depends on others finishing their part. If the Duo will be your only phone, I'd wait a few weeks to see how the apps you use every day catch up. And if you're coming from Face ID, try Touch ID in a store before deciding: it's the complaint that comes up most.
