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iPhone Duo is Missing These 10 iPhone 18 Pro Features

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While the iPhone Duo is the first foldable iPhone ever and has some unique features like Duo FaceTime and forthcoming Apple Pencil support, the device lacks some other features available on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

iphone-duo-hero.jpg


Below, we have listed 10 features that are missing on the iPhone Duo:

  • A dedicated Telephoto camera with up to 8× optical zoom. Instead, the iPhone Duo's main 48-megapixel Fusion camera has "optical-quality" 2× zoom.
  • Variable aperture for the main 48-megapixel Fusion camera, which provides greater control over depth of field in photos and videos.
  • A higher-resolution 18-megapixel Center Stage front camera. On the iPhone Duo, this camera is 12 megapixels.
  • Action button.
  • Face ID. Instead, the iPhone Duo has a Touch ID button.
  • LiDAR Scanner, which measures depth for augmented reality purposes.
  • Other camera features: Pro controls in the Camera app, ProRAW, ProRes RAW, spatial photos and videos, and more.

You can pre-order the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max starting Saturday, September 12 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, ahead of a Friday, September 18 launch. iPhone Duo pre-orders begin Friday, October 16 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, and the device will be released on Friday, October 23.

Article Link: iPhone Duo is Missing These 10 iPhone 18 Pro Features
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/09/11/iphone-duo-is-missing-these-features/
Last edited:
In 2 years we will probably get the iPhone Duo Pro. They’ll keep the Duo as the base foldable and the Duo Pro that will be $2299-$2399 with all of the pro features missing from the base duo. They’ll probably make it a bit bigger and say the increased size allowed them to add the extra camera and everything else missing from the Duo.
 
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turbineseaplane said:
It's just a lot of camera stuff.

iPhone buyers, notoriously, don't care about camera stuff at all when cross shopping models and pondering upgrades.

/s
Click to expand...

Ok, I wasn't really impressed enough by the updated camera features from the 18PM compared to my 17PM so I'm planning to get the Duo, but going backwards on these is going to be so annoying.

I stopped bringing my mirrorless around with me because the Pros have gotten much better and I can shoot RAW if needed but this is making me reconsider just staying on my current phone.
 
Once this thing launches, I expect zero complaints about the side Touch ID button — or about the lack of the admittedly superior Face ID. I loved it on my old Sony Xperia XZ Premium and I expect Apple’s version to work flawlessly.
 
For me personally, the cameras have been overkill for my needs for quite a few generations. I think the Duo cameras will be fine for me.

Also note you can reprogram the Camera button to run a Shortcut if you want to use it as an Action button.
 
turbineseaplane said:
It's just a lot of camera stuff.

iPhone buyers, notoriously, don't care about camera stuff at all when cross shopping models and pondering upgrades.

/s
Click to expand...

I'm taking your /s seriously but I for one do not care about any of it. The single camera on the Air has been more than enough for me.

I do wonder about the difference between touch id and face id in practice. Touch could be faster on this format.
 
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turbineseaplane said:
It's just a lot of camera stuff.

iPhone buyers, notoriously, don't care about camera stuff at all when cross shopping models and pondering upgrades.

/s
Click to expand...
When I'm looking to potentially paying $2,000, variable aperture would be nice, along with the telephoto lenses and FaceID.

While I’m sure this phone will sell like crazy, it will benefit those who wait for the 2nd gen.
 
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The only thing I was missing when I got my iPhone Air over my prior iPhone 15 Pro Max was the ability to take macro photography pictures since I take a lot of close ups. The Duo has an ultrawide lens, which is what Apple uses to take those types of photos. There was no mention of that feature, so I wonder if that exists on the Duo?

EDIT: I should have done a web search before typing this. It does have macro photography up to 2cm closeness.
 
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Jarman74 said:
Once this thing launches, I expect zero complaints about the side Touch ID button — or about the lack of the admittedly superior Face ID. I loved it on my old Sony Xperia XZ Premium and I expect Apple’s version to work flawlessly.
Click to expand...
Also it unlocks automatically with Apple Watch, which will be seamless for folks who already use one. Article should probably mention that
 
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profwafflez said:
Seems like a grandiose statement to be making... My phone is first and foremost a) a camera b) maps c) entertainment, with heavy emphasis on camera. I'm not interested in the Duo at all until the camera sees heavy improvements.
Click to expand...
The "/s" in his post means he was being sarcastic.
 
Ok so outside of the best camera features, which unless you truly are a pro, most people arent going to use anyway, it is a better phone then the pro max and also more expensive. Its also the reason why they called it the duo instead of the Ultra cause the ultra implies it has everything. You watch, in a year or 2, they will rename it the Ultra once its on par with the pro models.

The only thing that nags me truly, is the lack of face id. The Air has it, why cant this, but then again you have to add two modules in it, (for inner and outter displays) and i can see how that could cause an issue right now!

I have the 16 pro max, i use it every day, but ever since i stoped doing youtube 2 years ago, ive never had the need to do all the pro stuff anyways. Per example...i love the idea of spacial video, but i got to convert it to use it with my meta quest 3, and i cant afford an apple vision pro.

Another example is this. At the beach i love to take images of ships out at sea, and use the zoom lense, but even still, they are so far out I'm still cropping into the image anyway and it doesnt always look that great.

3rd example is, the raw footage and images. I never needed to go beyond 256 gigs worth of data. My app use and music use isnt that big. The Raw stuff takes up ALOT and on the phone and tablet, i dont see that massive of a difference in the image. I dont use final cut pro or photoshop or what ever, I'm not shooting professional grade level images or video for a film production company, from a practical standpoint, i dont need most of the features the pro is offering.

They are wonderful to have, sure, but on a 256 gig Pro model, they eat up memory real quick and just arent practical.

I much rather have a 256 gig Duo and have a ipad mini and iphone in my pocket with good enough cameras for every day use, then a pro model for 700 dollars cheeper.

Just how i figure it, and most people buying the pro should know that going in. I do think eventually you will get an ULTRA version of the duo at 2500 dollars for a terabyte of storage in a few years or so, but for now, im cool with the compromise
 
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They will be able to get to buy another one when they add them back in. 🙂

I know what I’m getting with that sacrifice and I can’t wait!
 
Honestly, I don’t need any of the camera features at all.. what’s the best camera? The one you have with you.

I think of the duo this way.. I want a device that is going to be able to ENABLE all the coming Apple AI, Siri AI features (I don’t really need variable voices, etc, but functional ones are good)

I see the duo as being able to get the same chipset, RAM, and capability to an iphone 18 pro/max from an OS and software performance standpoint, in this DUAL form factor.

So, it’s a premium for sure, not as much as buying two phones, but ~ $600 more than a similar proMax.

I can live with that.
 
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