There’s a few common criticisms I’ve seen about the iPhone Duo (and foldables in general) that I wanted to offer my 2 cents on as someone who has been following the development of flexible screens from the beginning (and also as an iOS developer who now has to adapt apps for the Duo). Keep in mind, with many of these things we are very deep into “first world problems” territory (it’s a $2000 phone after all) so don’t take any of this stuff too seriously, it’s all for the fun of discussion and the love of tech:
1. It’s a Solution Looking for a Problem (AKA “What’s the point of foldables”):
I think John did a good job answering this at the beginning of the Duo reveal. The 3 main areas where my iPhone beats my iPad are: Portability, Camera and Battery. Beyond that, everything I do on my iPad Pro is a much better experience than on iPhone (even writing this post) simply because the screen is larger. Browsing, typing, watching videos, playing games and the list goes on is more enjoyable & efficient on a larger display. The issue is that you can’t fit an iPad in your pocket so it becomes more of a device used when stationary. The iPhone Duo solves the problem of fitting a bigger display (and therefore improved experience) in your pocket.
2. It’s a Niche Product that Will Flop:
It’s a $2000 phone in a time where people are trying to keep up with rising cost of living… so of course it will be niche. However being niche doesn’t necessarily equate to a flop otherwise every Ferrari, Lamborghini, Rolex Watch and Hermes bag must also be a “flop” because they didn’t do mass market numbers. Sales numbers will absolutely be much lower than iPhone Pro models and maybe even lower than the Air but the Duo fills a gap where Apple previously had no offering. Let’s not forget, foldables are actually much more common in Asia especially China.
In a side note, I find it interesting how some people will actually hope a product flops just because it doesn’t appeal to them personally.
3. It’s too Expensive:
I fully agree $2000 for a phone is a lot. That being said, when viewed in context of the foldable phone market, Apple actually came in surprisingly low for what the device offers. It’s $100 more than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 but offers a much better engineered screen, Apple Pencil support (stylus support hasn’t been offered from Samsung since the Z Fold 6), under display camera, MagSafe charging, dust resistance among many other refinements that put the Duo on another level above the Z Fold 8.
4. The Camera Downgrade:
Here’s an area where I actually really agree with the criticism and wish Apple did a little more. Especially since we’ve seen several passport style foldables with triple camera arrays. Even without the telephoto, at the very least it would have been nice to get the main sensor from the 18 Pro. Instead we are getting a main sensor that sits somewhere between the 17e and base 17. That being said, it’s not like the 17e or 17 have bad cameras (again first world problems) and we do get the same wide lens as the 18 pro. Another camera issue is the front facing which falls back to a 12mp camera but this one is a little more understandable considering the form factor and thickness. Either way, camera updates should be top priority for the Duo 2.
5. No Face ID:
This one feels like a much smaller issue compared to the camera downgrades. TouchID works great and the shape of the Neo means your thumb will naturally rest where the TouchID sensor is. FaceID also just wouldn’t work for the form factor. It would be pretty annoying to have to close the device anytime you want to authenticate something and it would make the Neo substantially more expensive if they needed to include 2 FaceID systems for both the inside and outside. Touch ID just makes sense.
6. The Crease and Durability:
Anything that folds will have a crease and this something that must just be accepted with folding displays. That said, Apple did a great job engineering the hinge and screen to hide the crease. As for durability, this seems like the first foldable where the inner screen doesn’t have to be cared for like a newborn. The fact that Apple is bringing over pencil support and the fact that it’s the existing pencil and not some new special pencil made specifically for the inner screen further shows how robust it is compared to most foldables on the market.
7. One Handed Use and Pocket Comfort:
The Neo will for sure be more comfortable for larger handed people much like the Pro Max. In fact the Neo is just barely wider than a Pro Max. I have a 3D Printed spec matched model of the Neo and it honestly feels better than my Peo Max for the simple fact that I can reach the top. Any width issues with Neo will have also existed on the Pro Max. The short height makes it look wider than it is. I’ve also had time to play with the Z Fold 8 and the passport form factor is very comfortable to use. With Neo, I’d expect one handed use to be even better since Apple has redesigned the OS (except for left handed users).
Pocket comfort follows the same lines as far as width. Thickness may be an issue for thin pants (depending on case) but the height will be a lot better than the Pro Max and even a little better than the Pro.
My Main Criticism:
Even though I think Apple knocked it out of the park with the Duo, the one thing I wish they added was iPad app support. I’m sure this is to try to differentiate the iPhone Neo from the iPad mini and to keep the UI cohesive between open and closed states but this also feels like holding back the Neo. Apps like Swift Playgrounds, Davinci Resolve, Affinity and of course Procreate all work great on the iPad mini and would have made the Neo all the more useful if they were present. Especially with Apple Pencil support intact. Hopefully Apple will allow developers to bring over iPad apps for use when the device is open.
1. It’s a Solution Looking for a Problem (AKA “What’s the point of foldables”):
I think John did a good job answering this at the beginning of the Duo reveal. The 3 main areas where my iPhone beats my iPad are: Portability, Camera and Battery. Beyond that, everything I do on my iPad Pro is a much better experience than on iPhone (even writing this post) simply because the screen is larger. Browsing, typing, watching videos, playing games and the list goes on is more enjoyable & efficient on a larger display. The issue is that you can’t fit an iPad in your pocket so it becomes more of a device used when stationary. The iPhone Duo solves the problem of fitting a bigger display (and therefore improved experience) in your pocket.
2. It’s a Niche Product that Will Flop:
It’s a $2000 phone in a time where people are trying to keep up with rising cost of living… so of course it will be niche. However being niche doesn’t necessarily equate to a flop otherwise every Ferrari, Lamborghini, Rolex Watch and Hermes bag must also be a “flop” because they didn’t do mass market numbers. Sales numbers will absolutely be much lower than iPhone Pro models and maybe even lower than the Air but the Duo fills a gap where Apple previously had no offering. Let’s not forget, foldables are actually much more common in Asia especially China.
In a side note, I find it interesting how some people will actually hope a product flops just because it doesn’t appeal to them personally.
3. It’s too Expensive:
I fully agree $2000 for a phone is a lot. That being said, when viewed in context of the foldable phone market, Apple actually came in surprisingly low for what the device offers. It’s $100 more than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 but offers a much better engineered screen, Apple Pencil support (stylus support hasn’t been offered from Samsung since the Z Fold 6), under display camera, MagSafe charging, dust resistance among many other refinements that put the Duo on another level above the Z Fold 8.
4. The Camera Downgrade:
Here’s an area where I actually really agree with the criticism and wish Apple did a little more. Especially since we’ve seen several passport style foldables with triple camera arrays. Even without the telephoto, at the very least it would have been nice to get the main sensor from the 18 Pro. Instead we are getting a main sensor that sits somewhere between the 17e and base 17. That being said, it’s not like the 17e or 17 have bad cameras (again first world problems) and we do get the same wide lens as the 18 pro. Another camera issue is the front facing which falls back to a 12mp camera but this one is a little more understandable considering the form factor and thickness. Either way, camera updates should be top priority for the Duo 2.
5. No Face ID:
This one feels like a much smaller issue compared to the camera downgrades. TouchID works great and the shape of the Neo means your thumb will naturally rest where the TouchID sensor is. FaceID also just wouldn’t work for the form factor. It would be pretty annoying to have to close the device anytime you want to authenticate something and it would make the Neo substantially more expensive if they needed to include 2 FaceID systems for both the inside and outside. Touch ID just makes sense.
6. The Crease and Durability:
Anything that folds will have a crease and this something that must just be accepted with folding displays. That said, Apple did a great job engineering the hinge and screen to hide the crease. As for durability, this seems like the first foldable where the inner screen doesn’t have to be cared for like a newborn. The fact that Apple is bringing over pencil support and the fact that it’s the existing pencil and not some new special pencil made specifically for the inner screen further shows how robust it is compared to most foldables on the market.
7. One Handed Use and Pocket Comfort:
The Neo will for sure be more comfortable for larger handed people much like the Pro Max. In fact the Neo is just barely wider than a Pro Max. I have a 3D Printed spec matched model of the Neo and it honestly feels better than my Peo Max for the simple fact that I can reach the top. Any width issues with Neo will have also existed on the Pro Max. The short height makes it look wider than it is. I’ve also had time to play with the Z Fold 8 and the passport form factor is very comfortable to use. With Neo, I’d expect one handed use to be even better since Apple has redesigned the OS (except for left handed users).
Pocket comfort follows the same lines as far as width. Thickness may be an issue for thin pants (depending on case) but the height will be a lot better than the Pro Max and even a little better than the Pro.
My Main Criticism:
Even though I think Apple knocked it out of the park with the Duo, the one thing I wish they added was iPad app support. I’m sure this is to try to differentiate the iPhone Neo from the iPad mini and to keep the UI cohesive between open and closed states but this also feels like holding back the Neo. Apps like Swift Playgrounds, Davinci Resolve, Affinity and of course Procreate all work great on the iPad mini and would have made the Neo all the more useful if they were present. Especially with Apple Pencil support intact. Hopefully Apple will allow developers to bring over iPad apps for use when the device is open.
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