Other IPhone Decision 2026

[CalMin]

iPhone Decision 2026

As the owner of a 15 Pro Max, this is the year I promised myself a new phone. Let’s take finances out of the equation, because I’ll be getting it through my business, which can support the upgrade.

Now, arguably, I don’t need a new phone. The 15 Pro Max handles my daily phone use, travel photography, and 4K video for my podcast hobby perfectly well. Where I’ve increasingly stepped away from it is as a computing device because, frankly, my iPad is simply better at that stuff. So when I travel, I tend to carry both.

That’s what makes this year’s lineup so interesting. Apple has thrown in a curveball.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max is clearly the better camera. It’s easily the best choice if I want a substantially improved version of what I already have. But its limitations as a computing device would remain largely the same.

The iPhone Duo, however, looks like the better computer. Early impressions suggest that, on the road, it could potentially replace my iPad and streamline my casual computing needs. The larger screen and folding form factor may make it a device I actually use for reading, browsing, writing, multitasking and the other things for which I currently reach for the iPad.

The catch is that I suspect I would genuinely miss some of the camera capability I already have in the 15 Pro Max. So choosing the Duo wouldn’t just mean passing up the better camera in the 18 Pro Max; in some respects, it would mean accepting a photographic step backward from my current phone.

So the choice isn’t really between two cameras. It’s between making something I already find adequate meaningfully better, or accepting some photographic compromise in exchange for a device that might materially change how I use my phone.

--

This has created something of an analysis paralysis for me in a year when I thought upgrading would be a no brainer. I may even sit this one until the Duo 2 or Duo Pro comes out!

 

[BabyFu18]

I guess it depends on if you rely on your phone as your main camera and if so how important is photography to you?

For example, when I was deciding between the two, I had to think of what I want my phone to excel at most. I attend a lot of concerts, festival's, family events, etc. where I want to be able to use my phone as my camera so aside from normal phone attributes my main concern is having the best options for photography available in my pocket. Therefore, the 18 pro made ultimate sense, if my main goals were productivity or supplementing an iPad with a smaller multitasking phone then the duo would have been a better option.

Personally even with a duo it wouldn’t replace my iPad because I use an iPad Pro and want those features which I feel I’d have to compromise on in the duo, doesn’t mean it’s not a good phone or a good multitasker I just don’t think it can completely replace iPads (in my life). If you feel like it could do that for you then that’s a big plus.

For many people the duo will fill a productivity gap and for others it’ll just be a fun new consumption device. For some the pro phones will be overkill and they’ll never use all the functions but they just want it available should the need arise.

Neither is a bad choice, but compromises must be made with either option, so what matters more to you is what it’ll come down to.

There is the distinct possibility with future enhancements that the duo could get better and better and if so I’ll reevaluate my want/need of one next upgrade/year.

 

[ARizz44]

I’m upgrading from the 15 PM to the 18 PM and it’s been a relatively easy decision for me.

One, the cameras are my number one priority and I use zoom a lot. The fact the 18pm has an improved sensor compared to my 15pm is icing for me. There are compromises with the Duo camera beyond just the lack of a telephoto lens.

Two, I use my phone a lot while walking, on the move, etc. I’m not going to use the Duo opened up to fire off a text or check something. So I would be doing so many things on a 5.4” screen that is fat when closed.

Three, I work a lot with photos and videos and it’s farrrrr more convenient when files are stored locally vs the cloud. I’m looking at $1899 for a 1TB PM vs $3199 for a 1TB Duo. Not a chance in hell I’m paying that.

Four, battery life of the 18pm on paper is a welcomed upgrade for me. It’s nice never needing to think about a battery pack when away from chargers all day.

I see the 18pm as more of a productivity device where as the Duo is ideal for media consumption. I have laptops and large computer monitors for watching media.

Best of luck with your decision OP! I’m all queued up for pre-order in the morning. The Duo looks like a very cool device, I’m just not the target audience.

 

[4sallypat]

Whatever you choose, select the Apple Upgrade lease program.

0% cost. Apple eats the depreciation. You don't pay interest (MF).

Best for businesses as a tax expense deduction.

Even though I can pay for it in full but my CFA says why do that when:
1. Use someone else's money at 0%.
2. Keep your money to make money.
3. Tax writeoff for the lease and cell bill.

 

[Matt2000]

I am going with the Duo

 

[Petey07]

iPhone Decision 2026

As the owner of a 15 Pro Max, this is the year I promised myself a new phone. Let’s take finances out of the equation, because I’ll be getting it through my business, which can support the upgrade.

Now, arguably, I don’t need a new phone. The 15 Pro Max handles my daily phone use, travel photography, and 4K video for my podcast hobby perfectly well. Where I’ve increasingly stepped away from it is as a computing device because, frankly, my iPad is simply better at that stuff. So when I travel, I tend to carry both.

That’s what makes this year’s lineup so interesting. Apple has thrown in a curveball.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max is clearly the better camera. It’s easily the best choice if I want a substantially improved version of what I already have. But its limitations as a computing device would remain largely the same.

The iPhone Duo, however, looks like the better computer. Early impressions suggest that, on the road, it could potentially replace my iPad and streamline my casual computing needs. The larger screen and folding form factor may make it a device I actually use for reading, browsing, writing, multitasking and the other things for which I currently reach for the iPad.

The catch is that I suspect I would genuinely miss some of the camera capability I already have in the 15 Pro Max. So choosing the Duo wouldn’t just mean passing up the better camera in the 18 Pro Max; in some respects, it would mean accepting a photographic step backward from my current phone.

So the choice isn’t really between two cameras. It’s between making something I already find adequate meaningfully better, or accepting some photographic compromise in exchange for a device that might materially change how I use my phone.

--

This has created something of an analysis paralysis for me in a year when I thought upgrading would be a no brainer. I may even sit this one until the Duo 2 or Duo Pro comes out!

Not sure if this is relevant, but I figured I'd share my experience lol.

Last year, I had the 15 Pro Max and upgraded to the Air mainly because I liked the form factor and wanted to try something different. I thought I could live with the compromises, but I ended up missing the camera, battery life, speakers, etc. I eventually returned the Air and got the 17 Pro Max, and honestly, I don't regret it one bit.

I gave my 15 Pro Max to my dad, and I've been using the 17 Pro Max myself. There wasn't really anything wrong with the 15PM aside from the battery life, but I really enjoy taking pictures (not a photographer by any means), so having the better camera and battery life, along with the other upgrades, made the 17PM worth it for me.

Now I'm in a similar situation with the Duo.

The different form factor looks really interesting from all the YouTube videos I've watched, and I know I'd probably get a lot of use out of the bigger screen. But I'm wondering if I'd end up having the same experience I had with the Air, especially since I'd be compromising on the camera and its sensors.

The camera is probably the most important feature to me, so part of me is thinking, "Why make the same compromise again?" 😂 Maybe I should just wait and see what next year's version looks like, assuming they even release one.

On the other hand, I'm really curious about the Duo, and since I can always return it within the return window, I'm leaning toward just giving it a try.

My plan would be to keep the 17PM regardless and use the Duo alongside it. That way, the 17PM can still be my go-to for photos, battery life, etc., while the Duo would be more of a secondary device for the bigger screen and different form factor.

The only downside is the T-Mobile handoff costing $5/month. That would've made the whole setup pretty much perfect. 😅

 

[Bkdodger]

I normally don't trade in my iPhones the way I do with my Android phone and currently I have the Samsung fold but I was thinking of upgrading my 15 Pro Max this year but I'm debating what to do myself, battery health is 88% and the phone looks like the first day I got it. I can get $455 trade-in value with the Apple store. I see that it was mentioned here going with the lease plan but I'm not too familiar if I should go that route and then I have my eyes on the 20th anniversary iPhone

 

[lewchenko]

Last year I moved to a phone which lacked Telephoto. It wasn't the Air. I tried Android instead (decent enough) but oh boy.. there were so many times I wanted to use a telephoto lens but couldn't. So looking at getting a phone this year with one again.
Honestly not sure whether to stick with Android or go iPhone again (my last was a 13 Pro).
What puts me off the new iPhones is price and weight. Both higher than the competition.
I looked at the Duo and was impressed in the announcement but just knew that without the telephoto it wasn't going to work for me.

 

[Bkdodger]

Last year I moved to a phone which lacked Telephoto. It wasn't the Air. I tried Android instead (decent enough) but oh boy.. there were so many times I wanted to use a telephoto lens but couldn't. So looking at getting a phone this year with one again.
Honestly not sure whether to stick with Android or go iPhone again (my last was a 13 Pro).
What puts me off the new iPhones is price and weight. Both higher than the competition.
I looked at the Duo and was impressed in the announcement but just knew that without the telephoto it wasn't going to work for me.

Would you consider going with the 18 Pro and not the Max? I think the weight of the smaller phone might be good but again depends on the screen real estate

 

[Henry762]

iPhone Decision 2026

As the owner of a 15 Pro Max, this is the year I promised myself a new phone. Let’s take finances out of the equation, because I’ll be getting it through my business, which can support the upgrade.

Now, arguably, I don’t need a new phone. The 15 Pro Max handles my daily phone use, travel photography, and 4K video for my podcast hobby perfectly well. Where I’ve increasingly stepped away from it is as a computing device because, frankly, my iPad is simply better at that stuff. So when I travel, I tend to carry both.

That’s what makes this year’s lineup so interesting. Apple has thrown in a curveball.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max is clearly the better camera. It’s easily the best choice if I want a substantially improved version of what I already have. But its limitations as a computing device would remain largely the same.

The iPhone Duo, however, looks like the better computer. Early impressions suggest that, on the road, it could potentially replace my iPad and streamline my casual computing needs. The larger screen and folding form factor may make it a device I actually use for reading, browsing, writing, multitasking and the other things for which I currently reach for the iPad.

The catch is that I suspect I would genuinely miss some of the camera capability I already have in the 15 Pro Max. So choosing the Duo wouldn’t just mean passing up the better camera in the 18 Pro Max; in some respects, it would mean accepting a photographic step backward from my current phone.

So the choice isn’t really between two cameras. It’s between making something I already find adequate meaningfully better, or accepting some photographic compromise in exchange for a device that might materially change how I use my phone.

--

This has created something of an analysis paralysis for me in a year when I thought upgrading would be a no brainer. I may even sit this one until the Duo 2 or Duo Pro comes out!

Since this is a work purchase, do you have a separate physical personal phone?
Or are you self-employed & use one device for business & personal?

If you have 2 separate physical phones, it's a no-brainer; get the Duo.
🙂

Otherwise, I'd probably stick with the 18 Pro for a few reasons:

- v.1.0: I really, REALLY want to try the Duo & I am afraid I'll probably really love it when I finally get hands on.
I'm sure I'll want it. 😂

BUT.........how many complaints have we all heard of almost all Apple v.1.0 hardware?
So I'm wary to buy the very first version of any new hardware.

- Size. It's just physics; the Duo is a lot thicker than any other bar phone.
I carry my iPhone on a belt holster during the week, and in a pocket on weekends. The pockets on most of my pants have literally been designed to fit most modern smart phones....but not something as thick as the Duo.

AND in my car I have a magsafe cigarette lighter charger / mount for my iPhone. I highly doubt it would support something as thick & heavy as the Duo...but who knows.....

So for me the practical reality of "how TF do I actually carry this thing all the time" are what make me the most cautious about it.

Again it seems absolutely amazing and I'm truly afraid that I will absolutely fall in love with it when I finally get my hands on one. But I also feel that it will be a pain in the butt to carry on my person on a daily basis. 😭

Does anyone have any thoughts about how to actually carry the Duo on a daily basis?

 

[magbarn]

The usage of the smaller camera sensor from 17/17e for the main camera instead of the larger pro sensors found on the 17/18 pro plus the loss of spatial video recording are massive losses for me. I use my phone to document my older family in spatial video for future viewing on my oculus and/or Apple Vision and losing that would be too much of loss for the Duo compromise. What infuriates about the 18 pro is that it doesn't have smart take which is a really nifty feature of the duo that the 18 pro mounted on a stand should be able to do as it has the same A20.

 

[conmee]

Don't overthink it.

Just get the Duo and see if it does indeed "materially change" your workflow/use of phone.

If after 14 days, none of the following are issues for you, congrats, you're the new owner of an iPhone Duo and you are much more productive:

1) It isn't overheating or throttling given your workflow
2) You're cool with the matte screen and crease (you may find it imperceptible or it may gnaw at your OCD if you have it - same goes for the "under screen" camera which, at least in some videos and stills, placement looks very annoying and possibly distracting depending on light/dark backgrounds)
3) You don't mind or prefer the new form-factor and weight
4) You don't mind or prefer typing on the Duo fully open (the on-screen keyboard could end up a balancing or ergonomic nightmare or the best thing since sliced bread; if you're cool with iPad/iPad mini keyboards, probably gonna be fine, but if you're not, and you have to default to the keyboard on the outside screen to be productive, that would partly defeat the purpose of having a large screen, at least for productivity)
5) You don't mind not having the great pro camera system and lack of telephoto

If any of these trip you up or cause significant anguish, return that bad boy and get an iPhone 18 Pro Max. The camera and battery life put the iPhone 15 Pro Max to shame and will be a worthy upgrade.

 

[Macdctr]

The iPhone 18 Pro Max is clearly the better camera. It’s easily the best choice if I want a substantially improved version of what I already have. But its limitations as a computing device would remain largely the same.

Just wanted to clarify, from what I have seen from Apple's Keynote announcement and from Apple's website, the camera system in the 18 Pro Max is also the same camera system in the new 18 Pro so the 18 Pro Max does not clearly have the better camera. The 18 Pro series iPhones have the better camera setup.

If anything the 18 Pro Max has the best battery life out of all the iPhones because of it's size. That goes without saying. It comes down to which "Pro" iPhone you really want.

 

[fathergll]

So the choice isn’t really between two cameras. It’s between making something I already find adequate meaningfully better, or accepting some photographic compromise in exchange for a device that might materially change how I use my phone.

It will probably materially change how you use the phone. Question is I don't know exactly what you are using your iPad for when traveling or how much of a PIA it is for you to travel with it. There are some nice advantages having two devices when traveling. Everything from larger screen, battery life to have a backup device of some kind when you are on the road. But depending on your use case or how light you travel it might not be worth it to you.