Hands-on review: iPhone Duo - Apple's foldable debut delivers on hype

Apple's first foray into the foldable phone market comes at a considerable cost to Australian consumers (starting at A$3499), but this is an undoubtedly exceptional device that will certainly turn heads and tempt those already within the Apple ecosystem - and perhaps even those on the outside looking in - to make that investment.

While it may be surprising to read, the iPhone Duo arrives on shelves (well, eventually) more than seven years after the original Samsung Galaxy Fold was released back in early 2019. In the interim, Apple has meticulously scrutinised the design to ensure every detail was perfect before releasing its first foldable device.

The result is a durable, intuitive, and frankly beautiful phone that has been a pleasure to use in my first few weeks with the iPhone Duo. Read on to discover whether this is the best iPhone for you to purchase.

Design and durability

Part of the explanation for the gap between the release of the original Galaxy Fold and the iPhone Duo comes down to Apple's insistence on releasing a durable phone that seamlessly switches between the outer 5.4-inch display and the unfolded 7.6-inch nanotexture display. The titanium hinge works alongside magnets to make the transition between the two modes feel effortless, and after a week or less, folding and unfolding will start to feel intuitive. 

The hinge truly feels solid and while it's still advisable to take care, there's also no need to be overly gentle when folding. While Apple has not officially rated the Duo for number of folds, early indications from content creators estimate the number at over 100,000. One stress test using a custom machine found little to no change in the hinge after 32,000 folds, so durability should not be a concern.

It also meets the IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

A common bugbear in online discourse since the Duo's release has been the conspicuous absence of Face ID. As an avid user since it was first implemented, the lack of Face ID is noticeable but certainly not a dealbreaker. It's another aspect that some users may find more troublesome than others. Overall, the Duo feels solid in hand, is wonderful to look at, and intuitive to use after a slight learning curve. Full marks for design and durability.

Performance

Another aspect of the Duo that Apple wanted to get just right is its performance, and it has packed plenty of that within a foldable form factor. It shares the same speedy A20 Pro chip found in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models, and features 12GB ram as well as a 6-core CPU and 7-core GPU.

It feels really fast, even with my penchant for leaving too many apps open in the background, and also when you're running two apps side-to-side on the large nanotexture display. The A20 Pro is a seriously good processor. It should be more than adequate for multiple years of use, more than likely still performing excellently by the time most people will begin to get that familiar itch to upgrade to the latest iPhone on the market.

3D gaming will put the processor under pressure, especially longer sessions, but for everyday workloads like phone and video calls, and editing documents and other content,  there should definitely be enough power under the hood for the vast majority of consumers.

The vapour chamber is beneficial for cooling but the Duo's form factor means cooling is not as efficient as in the Pro and Pro Max models. The area around the camera tends to heat up once the device is under some strain but that has been a fairly rare occurrence and shouldn't impact day-to-day use.

Battery life

While lack of excellent battery life has been a pain point of other foldable devices on the market, content creators and professionals who require a device that will literally go all day without needing to be plugged in will not be disappointed with the Duo. On a typical work day, starting at 8am, I have rarely seen the battery dip below 50 per cent come midnight, usually hovering around 60-65 per cent, using a mixture of Gmail, Safari, voice memos, social media, YouTube and music streaming. Overnight charging is still a habit of mine but from my experience, this device can easily go well into a second day without a charge for professionals who are not pushing it to its limit.

Keep in mind that playing high-quality content on Netflix or Disney+ will drain the battery faster, and if you do a lot of driving for work or otherwise, apps like Google Maps and Waze will do the same.

Fast-charging with a powerful enough adapter is a breeze. Apple's claim of zero battery to 50 per cent in just 20 minutes using fast-charging is perhaps a touch ambitious, but 20-30 minutes will give you a significant bump at your desk between meetings or before leaving the house.

Verdict

Apple deserves full marks for its first entry into foldable devices. The iPhone Duo is an excellent choice for content creators and professionals alike, as well as anyone who covets a device that packs premium performance, eye-catching aesthetics and great durability into its light form factor.

Its starting price of A$3499 may scare off some prospective purchasers but consumers are getting a fantastic phone for their money. This is not just a gimmick but a top-quality device with all the hallmarks of an Apple product that users have come to know and appreciate over the years.