Video of this episode is up on YouTube:
Positive comments from The Real Reviewers
Lance Ulanoff at TechRadar:
'Satisfying' is the best way to describe the feeling of repeatedly opening and closing the iPhone Duo.
Britta O'Boyle at Tech Advisor:
The paper-like texture makes long reading sessions a pleasure, too.
Chance Miller at 9to5Mac:
Even after a week of using the iPhone Duo, that "wow factor" hasn't worn off.
Lisa Eadicicco at CNN, via KQ2:
The Duo's inner screen is best used when dedicating the whole thing to a single app like Netflix.
Mark Spoonauer at Tom's Guide:
Overall, though, I think the iPhone Duo is the best designed foldable yet with the most polished, intuitive and fun software experience.
John Gruber at Daring Fireball:
For me, by far, it's my favorite tablet experience ever.
Andrew O'Hara at AppleInsider:
The side-aligned dock is very comfortable to use, but it does stick out a bit on unupdated apps.
Stefan Vazharov at Popular Mechanics:
While I wouldn't recommend dropping the iPhone Duo, its extra-tough hinge made me feel more confident.
Nicolas Lellouche at Numerama (English translation from French):
The iPhone Duo is a tremendous success.
David Phelan at AVForums:
This is an unbeatably elegant and appealing phone and is all you could want from a foldable
Max Weinbach at Creative Strategies:
Being forced into just 2 apps means both apps are given better space.
Robert Leedham at British GQ:
The more I use the Duo, the less I want to go back to a normal iPhone.
Sean Keach at The Sun:
Gaming and entertainment are both elevated, and the larger keyboard makes it possible to actually get some work done on it too.
Gut check: what I said about Vision Pro
From Breaking Change v4, 4:45:
What is the Apple Vision Pro? I think it's clearly the future, and I feel even more strongly that way now that it's clearly the future because it is definitely not the present. It is coming in hot. It is not ready for prime time. And it's probably a good thing that Apple isn't going to make a whole lot of these or sell a whole lot of these. It's probably appropriate that they priced it the way that they did to not entice a lot of people to want to buy it right away. It's not to say it's not worth it, it's not to say I'm going to return mine, it's not to say it's bad.
Critical comments from The Real Reviewers
Nilay Patel and Allison Johnson at The Verge:
Switching from the Duo back to one of our standard slab phones to get something done often felt like a relief.
Kenny Yeo at HardwareZone:
The Fold8 is surely the more compact and svelte phone, and it fits pockets more comfortably.
Ben McKimm at Man of Many:
Still, my overarching takeaway after a week is that the Duo is a stunning piece of hardware that I simply need more time with.
Julian Chokkattu at WIRED:
The trackpad works OK, but I could only get it to work after turning on AssistiveTouch in iOS' accessibility settings.
Sam Rutherford at Engadget:
But a lot of apps still need fine-tuning to look their best on Apple's first bendy iPhone.
John Gruber at Daring Fireball, on authentication:
I don't think Apple should have released the Duo before they figured this out.
Jaron Schneider at PetaPixel:
I just don't think it solves any problems the iPad doesn't already address and revives old ones the iPhone long since solved.
Brett Williams at Men's Health:
The foldable display is fun and works well, but I still don't think I'd be missing out if I didn't have it.
Nicolas Lellouche at Numerama (English translation from French):
On the downside, we still found an abnormal number of bugs for a new Apple product.
Munechika Nishida at AV Watch (English translation from Japanese), on multitasking flexibility:
Conversely, those wanting freedom here should choose an Android foldable, rather than the iPhone Duo.
Max Weinbach at Creative Strategies:
iOS feels buggier than normal iOS.
Jason Snell at Six Colors:
Even the apps I chose to place in my Dock were wrong, because the Dock serves a different purpose on the iPhone Duo!
Jason Cross at Macworld, first-day impressions, on the inner camera:
If this is the cost of an under-display camera, I don't want it.
Britta O'Boyle at Macworld, October 24:
The trade-off is reduced contrast, so darker scenes lose some depth, and smudges are easier to spot.
One last palate cleanser
As always, send me your takes at [podcast@searls.co] or justin.searls.co/feedback
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<pubDate>Sat, 24 Oct 2026 21:45:39 +0000</pubDate>
<title>v57.1 - iPhone Duo Review</title>
<itunes:title>v57.1 - iPhone Duo Review</itunes:title>
<itunes:episode>66</itunes:episode><itunes:image href="https://justin.searls.co/img/podcast/feature-release.jpg" />
<itunes:author>Justin Searls</itunes:author>
<itunes:duration>01:03:45</itunes:duration>
<podcast:person role="host" href="https://justin.searls.co/about/" img="https://justin.searls.co/img/face.jpg">Justin Searls</podcast:person>
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<link>https://justin.searls.co/casts/feature-release-v57.1-iphone-duo-review/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
<h2 id="positive-comments-from-the-real-reviewers">
<a class="font-bold no-underline text-primary hover:underline" href="https://justin.searls.co/casts/feature-release-v57.1-iphone-duo-review/#positive-comments-from-the-real-reviewers">Positive comments from The Real Reviewers</a>
</h2>
<p>Lance Ulanoff at <a href="https://www.techradar.com/phones/iphone/apple-iphone-duo-review">TechRadar</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>'Satisfying' is the best way to describe the feeling of repeatedly opening and closing the iPhone Duo.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Britta O'Boyle at <a href="https://www.techadvisor.com/article/3268179/apple-iphone-duo-review.html">Tech Advisor</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The paper-like texture makes long reading sessions a pleasure, too.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Chance Miller at <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2026/10/21/iphone-duo-review/">9to5Mac</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Even after a week of using the iPhone Duo, that "wow factor" hasn't worn off.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Lisa Eadicicco at <a href="https://www.kq2.com/cnn-business-consumer/2026/10/21/the-iphone-duo-is-apples-coolest-phone-in-years-theres-just-one-problem/">CNN, via KQ2</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The Duo's inner screen is best used when dedicating the whole thing to a single app like Netflix.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Mark Spoonauer at <a href="https://www.tomsguide.com/phones/iphones/apple-iphone-duo-review">Tom's Guide</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Overall, though, I think the iPhone Duo is the best designed foldable yet with the most polished, intuitive and fun software experience.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>John Gruber at <a href="https://daringfireball.net/2026/10/the_iphone_duo">Daring Fireball</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>For me, by far, it's my favorite tablet experience ever.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Andrew O'Hara at <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/26/10/23/testing-iphone-duo-apple-nearly-solved-my-biggest-concerns">AppleInsider</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The side-aligned dock is very comfortable to use, but it does stick out a bit on unupdated apps.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Stefan Vazharov at <a href="https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/a74192937/apple-iphone-duo-review/">Popular Mechanics</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>While I wouldn't recommend dropping the iPhone Duo, its extra-tough hinge made me feel more confident.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Nicolas Lellouche at <a href="https://www.numerama.com/tech/2355747-test-de-liphone-duo-le-produit-apple-le-plus-cool-depuis-10-ans.html">Numerama</a> (English translation from French):</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The iPhone Duo is a tremendous success.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>David Phelan at <a href="https://www.avforums.com/reviews/apple-iphone-duo-review.23955/">AVForums</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This is an unbeatably elegant and appealing phone and is all you could want from a foldable</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Max Weinbach at <a href="https://creativestrategies.com/research/iphone-duo-review/">Creative Strategies</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Being forced into just 2 apps means both apps are given better space.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Robert Leedham at <a href="https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/apples-pound2000-iphone-duo-has-ruined-normal-phones-for-me">British GQ</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The more I use the Duo, the less I want to go back to a normal iPhone.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Sean Keach at <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/40742063/iphone-duo-review-apple/">The Sun</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Gaming and entertainment are both elevated, and the larger keyboard makes it possible to actually get some work done on it too.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 id="gut-check-what-i-said-about-vision-pro">
<a class="font-bold no-underline text-primary hover:underline" href="https://justin.searls.co/casts/feature-release-v57.1-iphone-duo-review/#gut-check-what-i-said-about-vision-pro">Gut check: what I said about Vision Pro</a>
</h2>
<p>From <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/v4-facial-computing/id1725165751?i=1000644052958&t=285">Breaking Change v4, 4:45</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>What is the Apple Vision Pro? I think it's clearly the future, and I feel even more strongly that way now that it's clearly the future because it is definitely not the present. It is coming in hot. It is not ready for prime time. And it's probably a good thing that Apple isn't going to make a whole lot of these or sell a whole lot of these. It's probably appropriate that they priced it the way that they did to not entice a lot of people to want to buy it right away. It's not to say it's not worth it, it's not to say I'm going to return mine, it's not to say it's bad.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 id="critical-comments-from-the-real-reviewers">
<a class="font-bold no-underline text-primary hover:underline" href="https://justin.searls.co/casts/feature-release-v57.1-iphone-duo-review/#critical-comments-from-the-real-reviewers">Critical comments from The Real Reviewers</a>
</h2>
<p>Nilay Patel and Allison Johnson at <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/1015028/iphone-duo-review">The Verge</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Switching from the Duo back to one of our standard slab phones to get something done often felt like a relief.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Kenny Yeo at <a href="https://www.hardwarezone.com.sg/mobile/smartphones/apple-iphone-duo-review-foldable-phone-singapore-specs-buy">HardwareZone</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The Fold8 is surely the more compact and svelte phone, and it fits pockets more comfortably.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Ben McKimm at <a href="https://manofmany.com/tech/smartphones/apple-iphone-duo-review">Man of Many</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Still, my overarching takeaway after a week is that the Duo is a stunning piece of hardware that I simply need more time with.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Julian Chokkattu at <a href="https://www.wired.com/review/apple-iphone-duo/">WIRED</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The trackpad works OK, but I could only get it to work after turning on AssistiveTouch in iOS' accessibility settings.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Sam Rutherford at <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2292333/apple-iphone-duo-review/">Engadget</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>But a lot of apps still need fine-tuning to look their best on Apple's first bendy iPhone.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>John Gruber at <a href="https://daringfireball.net/2026/10/the_iphone_duo">Daring Fireball</a>, on authentication:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I don't think Apple should have released the Duo before they figured this out.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Jaron Schneider at <a href="https://petapixel.com/2026/10/21/iphone-duo-review-a-compromise-but-not-compromised/">PetaPixel</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I just don't think it solves any problems the iPad doesn't already address and revives old ones the iPhone long since solved.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Brett Williams at <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/technology-gear/a74194773/apple-iphone-duo-review/">Men's Health</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The foldable display is fun and works well, but I still don't think I'd be missing out if I didn't have it.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Nicolas Lellouche at <a href="https://www.numerama.com/tech/2355747-test-de-liphone-duo-le-produit-apple-le-plus-cool-depuis-10-ans.html">Numerama</a> (English translation from French):</p>
<blockquote>
<p>On the downside, we still found an abnormal number of bugs for a new Apple product.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Munechika Nishida at <a href="https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/series/rt/2150072.html">AV Watch</a> (English translation from Japanese), on multitasking flexibility:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Conversely, those wanting freedom here should choose an Android foldable, rather than the iPhone Duo.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Max Weinbach at <a href="https://creativestrategies.com/research/iphone-duo-review/">Creative Strategies</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>iOS feels buggier than normal iOS.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Jason Snell at <a href="https://sixcolors.com/post/2026/10/iphone-duo-24-hours-in-the-splash-zone/">Six Colors</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Even the apps I chose to place in my Dock were wrong, because the Dock serves a different purpose on the iPhone Duo!</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Jason Cross at <a href="https://www.macworld.com/article/3267488/6-iphone-duo-highs-and-lows-that-defined-my-day-one-experience.html">Macworld, first-day impressions</a>, on the inner camera:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If this is the cost of an under-display camera, I don't want it.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Britta O'Boyle at <a href="https://www.macworld.com/article/3268522/a-week-with-iphone-duo-folding-refined-if-not-perfected.html">Macworld, October 24</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The trade-off is reduced contrast, so darker scenes lose some depth, and smudges are easier to spot.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 id="one-last-palate-cleanser">
<a class="font-bold no-underline text-primary hover:underline" href="https://justin.searls.co/casts/feature-release-v57.1-iphone-duo-review/#one-last-palate-cleanser">One last palate cleanser</a>
</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://fountaininteractive.com/TinyComputers/">Tiny Computers</a></li>
</ul>
<p>As always, send me your takes at [podcast@searls.co] or <a href="https://justin.searls.co/feedback/">justin.searls.co/feedback</a></p>
]]></description>
</item>