The iPhone Duo is the most expensive phone Apple has ever made, and for good reason.
You get a compact 5.4-inch phone and tablet in a device with a huge 7.6-inch nano-texture display. And Apple promises unmatched durability in the Duo’s design along with a new software experience that takes multitasking to the next level – and makes the most of all the positions in which you put this foldable.
But it’s only fair to call out the compromises for this foldable phone versus other flagship phones, including Apple’s own iPhone 18 Pro Max that I just reviewed.
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What annoys me is that people are already lumping all the missing features and trade-offs into a list of “deal breakers” as if they are all equivalent. Spoiler: they are not.
As we get closer to the October 16 iPhone Duo pre-order date, I think it’s worth checking these deductions. I rate each trade-off on a scale of 1-10 to tell you what is an annoyance versus an actual deal breaker.
No Telezoom: ‘Dealbreaker’ Score 8/10
There is no one around it. The iPhone Duo’s 2x optical quality zoom is not the same as a dedicated telephoto lens. You get that zoom via cropping the 48MP main sensor. If you want to get closer to the action, you can use up to 10x digital zoom.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max both have 4x telephoto lenses with 8x optical quality zoom. And you get a 40x digital zoom. If you like to zoom a lot when you shoot photos, the duo won’t get it.
No Face ID: ‘Dealbreaker’ Score 7/10
It’s understandable why the iPhone Duo doesn’t have Face ID, as there’s less room for all the sensors required for it, but it’s still a bummer because it’s such an easy way to lock your phone. And Face ID is better than any Face Unlock solution on any Android phone.
Instead, you get a Touch ID sensor built into the power button on the right side. At least I’m pretty confident it will work well based on how reliable Touch ID is on the MacBook, iPad, and previous iPhones.
Weight: ‘Dealbreaker’ Score 6/10
The iPhone Duo is certainly compact enough to slip into your front pocket, but it’s definitely bulkier than the iPhone 18 Pro Max and Apple’s main foldable competitor.
At 8.96 ounces, the Duo is the heaviest iPhone to date and slightly heavier than the iPhone 18 Pro Max’s 8.78 ounces.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the portability champion, weighing just 7.09 ounces. You really feel it in the hand.
But it’s worth keeping in mind that the iPhone Duo packs some features that will be worth the extra weight for many, including IP68 durability, a vapor chamber and a digitizing layer on the display to support Apple Pencil input.
Price: ‘Dealbreaker’ Score 5/10
You might have thought that I would have ranked the Duo’s high $2,000 price higher on this list of dealbreakers. But it’s really more of a deal breaker for the category as opposed to this particular phone.
After all, most foldable phones like this are in the same range. The Galaxy Fold 8 and Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold are $100 less. Still, the price certainly goes up as you add more storage. We are talking $2,200 for 512GB, $2,599 for 1 TB and a whopping $3,200 for 2 TB. Although the competition does on 1TB.
Less battery life than iPhone 18 Pro Max: ‘Dealbreaker’ score 4/10
Based on Apple’s own estimates, the iPhone Duo will last less than the iPhone 18 Pro Max on a charge. And that makes sense, because the Duo’s dual battery system has to accommodate a larger screen.
Apple claims the iPhone Duo lasts 24 hours with regular use versus 30 hours for the 18 Pro Max. But that gap widens with video playback, with the Duo rated for 31 hours and the Pro Max 45 hours. You can get up to 44 hours on the Duo’s small display.
Sub-display camera: ‘Dealbreaker’ score 3.5/10
Apple decided to give the iPhone Duo an under-display FaceTime camera, while other companies dropped it due to quality issues. Based on what I’ve seen so far, I’d say it looks good enough for video calls, but you’ll want to use the front 12MP camera or even the main 48MP camera for selfies.
Lack of variable aperture and pro controls: ‘dealbreaker’ score 3/10
It’s a bummer that the variable aperture main camera is limited to the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. It gives you more flexibility when shooting.
But the bigger annoyance for me is that Apple didn’t feature the Duo with Pro controls. Why not make it easier to control shutter speed, white balance and more?
Bottom line
When you add it all up, the only real iPhone Duo deal breaker for me is the lack of a telephoto zoom. And while I really wish it had Face ID, I can live with Touch ID.
But what about you? Are there any iPhone Duo deal breakers high on your list or are you planning to buy despite any deals? Let us know in the comments.