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iPhone Duo Reviews: What Critics Think of Apple’s First Foldable
The October 21 reviews were broadly impressed by the iPhone Duo’s foldable design, but its 254 gram weight, $1,999 starting price and uneven app support make it a cautious first generation buy.
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- The October 21 reviews were broadly impressed by the iPhone Duo’s foldable design, but its 254 gram weight, $1,999 starting price and uneven app support make it a cautious first generation buy.
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openai.comCreate a landscape editorial hero image for this Studio Global article: What did the first reviews published on October 21, 2026, reveal about Apple’s first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, including Engadget’s, W. Article summary: The October 21 reviews presented the iPhone Duo as an exciting, well-designed first-generation foldable, but not an unqualified recommendation: enthusiasm for its hardware was tempered by price, weight and unfinished app. Topic tags: general, news, general web, user generated. Style: premium digital editorial illustration, source-backed research mood, clean composition, high detail, modern web publication hero. Use reference image context only for broad subject, composition, and topical grounding; do not copy the exact image. Avoid: logos, brand marks, copyrighted characters, real person likenesses, fake screenshots, UI text, readable text, watermarks, charts w
Apple’s first foldable iPhone made a strong first impression in reviews published October 21, ahead of its October 23 launch. Critics praised the Duo’s hardware and crease-concealing inner display, while raising familiar first-generation concerns: it is heavy, expensive and some apps are still adapting to its screens. 2
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Reviewers’ verdicts and ratings
| Publication | Verdict in the available review coverage | Rating shown in the supplied sources |
|---|---|---|
| Engadget | Called it “a first-class foldable,” while flagging its weight, price and apps that have yet to catch up. | 8.8/10 |
| Wired | Praised the polished hardware, hinge, multitasking and crease-hiding nanotexture, but said Apple was right to wait. | 7/10 |
| Mashable | Called it “the most exciting iPhone since the first one,” pointing to its form factor and interface ideas. | No numerical rating appears in the supplied excerpt. |
| CNET | Said the phone “steals the show” despite arriving late to the foldable category, and gave it an Editors’ Choice award. | 8.7/10 in a review roundup. |
| CNN | Its headline called the Duo Apple’s “coolest phone in years,” while pointing to a problem. | No numerical rating or full explanation of the drawback is available in the supplied excerpt. |
| The Verge | Described it as expensive, compromised and frustrating, but also fun; switching back to a conventional phone could feel like a relief when getting things done. | No numerical rating appears in the supplied excerpt. |
Taken together, the reviews suggest that the Duo’s appeal is clearest for people excited by the foldable form—not that it is the obvious best phone for everyone. The Verge’s qualified enthusiasm and Wired’s more reserved score underline the trade-off between novel hardware and everyday ease of use. 11
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The display and crease drew praise
The Duo has a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display. Engadget describes the outer OLED as glossy and says the inner screen’s matte nanotexture reduces reflections and hides the appearance of the crease. The Verge likewise praised the inner display’s matte finish and its less conspicuous crease. The coating conceals the crease’s appearance; that is not the same as proving the fold is physically gone. 17
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Engadget also noted that the outer display supports 120Hz ProMotion and can reach 3,000 nits of peak brightness. 17
Weight and app support are the main caveats
At 254 grams, the Duo is a substantial device. CNET’s comparison table lists the Galaxy Z Fold 8 at 201 grams, making the Duo heavier by that comparison. 17
22 The reviews supplied here do not establish how comfortable it is for every person during extended one-handed use, so individual experience may vary.
Software polish is another open question. Wired reported that several apps it regularly used had only just added support for the Duo’s screen sizes and vertical interface elements, naming Instagram, Threads, Slack and the Google app. 11 That is a concrete sign that app support was still developing when reviews appeared. It also helps explain why reviewers could admire the hardware while finding the experience less consistent in practice.
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A roundup also says The Verge reported heat during extended use, but the available excerpt provides no measurements or test conditions. 13 The supplied review excerpts do not substantiate the specific claims about a hinge with more than 100 parts, Gmail or Uber compatibility problems, Touch ID versus Face ID, or a missing telephoto camera, so those details are not included as established review findings.
Price and launch context
The reported U.S. starting price was $1,999, and the phone was scheduled to go on sale October 23. Preorders opened October 16; reporting at the time said delivery estimates had moved into early 2027 and quoted Apple describing demand as “nothing short of extraordinary.” 2
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That price makes the reviewers’ reservations more consequential. A premium foldable needs to deliver more than an impressive screen: for buyers who depend on specific apps or want a lighter everyday phone, the early reviews leave reasons to pause. 11
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Should you buy now or wait?
If the Duo’s foldable design is the main attraction and the apps you rely on already work well across both displays, the early reviews make a case for its hardware. If app compatibility, weight or value matters more, waiting for broader app support—and more experience with the device in everyday use—is the more cautious choice. That is a practical reading of the reviewers’ trade-offs, not a buy-or-wait recommendation attributed to every publication. 11
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The October 21 reviews were broadly impressed by the iPhone Duo’s foldable design, but its 254 gram weight, $1,999 starting price and uneven app support make it a cautious first generation buy.
Sources
iphoneincanada.caFirst iPhone Duo Reviews Praise the Hidden Crease, Knock the Weight | iPhone in Canada
engadget.comApple iPhone Duo review: A first-class foldable - Engadget
theverge.comThe iPhone Duo is a messy, expensive, good time
macrumors.comApple Calls iPhone Duo Demand 'Extraordinary' After Orders Slip...
wired.com