8 Things to Know About the iPhone Duo

The iPhone Duo is finally here. Apple's first folding smartphone arrives seven years after Samsung pioneered the category with the Galaxy Fold. That gave Apple plenty of time to refine the hardware behind closed doors rather than in public view—and the results show: The Duo is a pretty dang good foldable.

Whether your Duo just landed on your doorstep or you're still weighing that $1,999 price, here's what you need to know before unfolding it.

Apps Aren’t Optimized—Yet

The iPhone Duo is a new shape and size for Apple, so many of your apps likely aren't optimized to show up properly on the unique 5.4-inch outer screen or the 7.6-inch inner display. Apple also changed how navigational elements appear on the Duo, aligning them on the right rail instead of centering them on the bottom like every other iPhone.

Apple apps, redesigned for the Duo, look great. Many third-party apps look like the Google Home app in the picture above: a strip down the middle with thick, black bars on the sides. Several major app developers have already optimized their apps for iOS 27.1—Slack, Instagram, DoorDash, and WhatsApp, for example—but I've noticed that even some optimized apps like Instagram can still have broken user-interface elements. It will take time for every app in your library to work perfectly across these new screens.

It might be a good thing that the Duo is back-ordered for several weeks. By the time you snag yours, app developers will likely have caught up to the new device, and you might enjoy a richer folding experience.

Say Goodbye to Face ID

Nearly a decade ago, Apple introduced Face ID as the future of the iPhone, eventually replacing the fingerprint-based Touch ID. So it might be confusing to hear that Apple's first folding phone doesn't have Face ID at all and instead relies on the older biometric authentication method. (Likely because Face ID tech takes up too much space in the thin iPhone Duo.) Touch ID never disappeared—Apple has used it on the iPhone SE and still features it on iPads and MacBooks—but this is the first time it has returned on a flagship iPhone.

Using your thumb again will take some getting used to, but it's not a deal-breaker. Some folks will miss the convenience and speed of Face ID, where all you needed to do was stare at the screen, instead of now reaching for the Touch ID sensor on the right side. Others who hated facial authentication might actually like the return of the fingerprint sensor.

Apple also introduced the Dynamic Island a few years ago—the pill-shaped island around the Face ID camera sensors that shows live app activities, like the next turn on your navigation or music currently playing, giving a second job to the camera cutout. Without Face ID, Dynamic Island hasn't disappeared from the iPhone Duo. Instead, Apple moved it to the top-right edge around the outer selfie camera; on the inner display, it appears at the top-right edge when a live activity is in progress.

You Need a New MagSafe Wallet

The iPhone Duo supports MagSafe just like the rest of the iPhone lineup, so you can magnetically stick your favorite phone grip on the back, or attach the phone to a magnetic car dock, bike mount, or wireless charger. One thing to note: If you unfold the Duo and attach it to a car dock or tripod, the phone will tip to one side because the magnet can’t keep it held straight given the uneven weight distribution. Third-party accessory makers could address this with anti-rotation magnets, but it might mean upgrading your current accessories.

Wallets, unfortunately, are the one accessory that won't really play well with the Duo. Yes, you can still attach a MagSafe wallet, but because the Duo is shorter than other iPhones, the wallet sticks out awkwardly past the lower edge. Apple doesn't have an official solution, so if you want to use a magnetic wallet with your iPhone, you'll have to look at third-party accessories.

Use the Rear Camera for Selfies

Everyone knows the rear cameras on your smartphone are better than the selfie camera on the front. One of the best features on a folding phone is the ability to take a selfie with those superior rear cameras and still be able to see a preview with the outer screen.

Don't confuse this with “Duo Preview” as I did, though. That's a feature that lets you show the person you're photographing the camera's viewfinder, so they can make sure they look picture-perfect before you tap the shutter. The setting to enable this is on the left edge of the camera app, where you can also turn on “Kids Cue” to have Snoopy animations play on the outer screen to get the attention of a kid for the perfect photo.

But if you're taking a selfie yourself and want the camera controls on the front screen, all you need to do is launch the camera and flip the phone around—you'll see a slider that says, “Slide to show camera.” Slide it, and the full camera app will show up on the outer screen, so you can switch modes and access Photographic Styles right there and enjoy the higher-quality results from the superior cameras. Doing this also crucially disables the inner screen, so your fingers won't accidentally switch modes.

You Can Create App Pairs

Filling the inner 7.6-inch screen with two different apps running side by side is incredibly handy and one of the cornerstone features of any folding phone. Whether you're on a phone call and want to pull up a confirmation email, or want to browse two different Safari webpages, you can drag an app from the bottom and pull it to the left or right side to enter the split-screen state.

One trick that isn't immediately obvious is that you can create app pairs. Just tap the middle bar between the two apps once, and it'll glow white, meaning that those two apps are now locked and can be accessed at any moment from the Recent apps menu. You can't save that as an app icon combo, though. This is still very handy if you know you'll always want to open two apps simultaneously on the big screen.

Be Careful of the Inner Screen

I get it, you're going to want to protect the fragile screens of your $1,999 iPhone. A case is smart—folding phone cases aren't like normal cases, as they usually come in two shells that attach to each side of the phone. You can also totally add a screen protector to the outer 5.4-inch screen.

But for the 7.6-inch matte inner screen, exercise some caution. You might see chatter online that you can “remove” the Duo's nano-texture finish, but it's an “integral” component of the inner display—as Apple says on this support page. “Don't attempt to remove it,” Apple writes. (Apple also has a page on cleaning the nano-texture display properly here.) Attempting to remove the finish is likely a surefire way to void your warranty. Apple doesn't say anything about using third-party screen protectors, but using one could compromise the display performance.

If you scratch or damage the nano-texture finish, Apple says you can take it to any Apple Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider and have it replaced for $19 (or $49 if the phone is out of warranty). That's not the same as if there's an actual crack in the inner display—that'll run you a cool $999 if you don't have AppleCare+.

You Can Split the Keyboard

The iPhone Duo is a wide phone. If you've complained about the size of modern smartphones and how it's hard to reach the top of the screen, well, you might still have some issues reaching the sides of the Duo. There's some good news, though. Apple lets you split the keyboard to make typing on the inner display a little easier.

Later this year, Apple will also issue a software update bringing Reachability to the Duo. On other iPhones, this brings the top of an app down, making it easier to reach. On the Duo, it will move an app to the left or right so you won't have to stretch those fingers as much.

Apple Pencil Support Is Coming

Have you always wanted to use a stylus on an iPhone? Soon! Steve Jobs is probably rolling in his grave.

Apple will bring support for the USB-C Apple Pencil (and only that Apple Pencil model, not others) in a software update later this year. Paired with the 7.6-inch screen's nano-texture finish, it should make writing and drawing on the iPhone Duo feel paper-like. Sadly, there's no place to store the stylus on the iPhone like you can on an iPad. I'm sure someone will make an accessory for it.