What actually changes when your iPhone folds? 9to5Mac's Fernando, who had been using the iPhone Duo for a few days when the video was published on launch day, October 23, tried the everyday things people do on a regular iPhone to find out. His headline finding: the Duo feels familiar because it runs iOS, but after nearly two decades of using phones one way, you have to relearn how to get from point A to point B in some places. The outer display's different shape is "a little bit jarring in the beginning," he says, while the inner display is where the Duo shines. Here is everything the video found, task by task. iPhone Duo Hub has not tested the phone; every finding below is 9to5Mac's.
Key takeaways
- Typing on the outer display felt more comfortable to Fernando than on an iPhone 17 Pro, though swipe typing takes adjustment.
- One-handed use is harder: reaching across the wide outer display is a stretch, and he calls the Duo a two-handed device for the most part.
- Touch ID has a pause of about a second in his testing; unlocking with an Apple Watch was faster.
- Split View is the standout: two apps side by side that feel like "two different iPhones," with drag and drop between them, though windows cannot be resized.
- Screen recording stops when you switch screens, and screenshots need two hands because of the button placement.
Typing on the outer and inner displays
On the outer display, Fernando found the wider keyboard "actually more comfortable" than the narrow keyboard on an iPhone 17 Pro, and easier for typing long stretches. Swipe typing still works, but because the keys are bigger, your finger has to travel further, which takes getting used to.
Unfolded, he counts several ways to type. In landscape, the keyboard is super wide, and he found it uncomfortable for long stretches because of the reach, though it gets the job done. Holding the open Duo in portrait was the most comfortable inner-display option for him, depending on hand size, and there is also a laptop-style mode with the phone partly folded. In practice, he says, he types on the outer display most of the time and opens the inner display when he needs to do more.
One-handed use and reachability
Fernando, who is right-handed with what he calls pretty normal size hands, found reaching across the outer display strenuous: notifications, Siri AI, and Control Center pull down from different points along the top edge. He suggests Apple add a reachability feature, and rates one-handed use of the outer display about "90% of the way there." Unfolded, he found one-handed use pretty tough, and concludes the Duo is a two-handed device for the most part, even when closed.
Touch ID
Touch ID sits in the lock button. Fernando, who called Touch ID inferior to Face ID in a lot of situations in his earlier review, found a pause of about a second before it unlocks and thinks it could be faster. Turning off the "rest finger to open" setting made it slower for him, not faster, so he left it on. His recommendation: if you have an Apple Watch, use the unlock with nearby device option, which he found faster than Touch ID.
Buttons
The volume buttons are on the top edge, which Fernando says takes "weird like finger gymnastics" to use, and they only change orientation when the phone is open. The lock button doubles as the Touch ID sensor, Camera Control works fine for him, and there is no Action button, which he flags for Action button fans.
Split-screen multitasking
This is where Fernando says "the magic happens." Continuity between the two displays worked extremely well in his testing, even for apps not yet optimized: close the phone and the app picks up exactly where you left off on the outer display. He reports no bugs with it, while noting some people have reported a couple.
For Split View, you drag an app to the side, and Fernando found Apple's approach "genius": it no longer feels like an iPad split screen, but like "two different iPhones side by side." Each side behaves like its own iPhone with its own home screen. You cannot resize the windows; they stay split down the middle. A tap locks the pair in place, so swiping up dismisses both, and another tap unlocks them. He was surprised by how productivity focused it is, and demonstrated dragging a photo from Photos and a file from the Files app straight into a post in another app.
Optimized apps and video
Not every app is ready. Fernando showed X and Spotify, neither yet fully optimized for the Duo, with Spotify looking "a little bit broken" in Split View. Netflix, which he says is optimized for the display, worked extremely well: full-screen on the inner display, controls that reposition when you fold the phone partway, and playback that moves to the outer display when you close it. Partly opened and set down, the Duo becomes a stand in what he calls tabletop mode. He also showed a picture-in-picture style video that keeps playing while you scroll in Safari.
Camera
The camera app has small Duo-specific touches, Fernando found. Dual Preview lets the person being photographed see the shot, and with the phone flipped, you can swipe to take a selfie on the outer display using the main rear cameras. He calls the orientation changes "a little bit confusing" and jarring at first.
Screenshots and screen recording
Because of the button placement, Fernando found screenshots need two fingers and are very hard to take with one hand, though easier if you are left-handed. Only the active screen is captured, not both. Screen recording works normally until you switch displays: the moment you go from the outer screen to the inner one, or the other way, the recording stops and saves.
What takes relearning
Gathering the friction points the video names:
- The outer display's shape. Apple lists it at 5.4 inches, but Fernando estimates the viewable area feels smaller, comparing it to the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, so less content fits on screen.
- Reach. Pulling down notifications, Siri AI, and Control Center means stretching across a wide screen.
- Buttons. Top-mounted volume buttons, no Action button, and two-handed screenshots.
- Touch ID. A pause before unlocking, in place of Face ID.
- Screen recording that stops when you switch displays.
- Accessories. A standard MagSafe wallet technically attaches but hangs off the bottom, so you need accessories made for the Duo.
Where the form factor shines
Fernando's clearest praise is for the inner display: continuity that picks up where you left off, Split View that feels like two iPhones side by side, drag and drop between apps, and optimized video in several positions. He liked the stand on Apple's Folio case for viewing at different angles, including on a plane, though he is not a fan of its cover for the outer display. He also highlights StandBy, which turns on when the phone is open, locked, and has enough battery, including in tabletop mode without needing to charge. His summary: there is "definitely a learning curve," because the Duo is a device we have not seen before.
For what other reviewers found, see our iPhone Duo reviews roundup.
Frequently asked questions
Is typing easier on the iPhone Duo?
On the outer display, 9to5Mac's Fernando found it more comfortable than the narrower keyboard on an iPhone 17 Pro, though swipe typing takes adjustment because the keys are larger. Unfolded in landscape, he found the very wide keyboard uncomfortable for long stretches, and portrait the most comfortable way to type on the inner display.
How fast is Touch ID on the iPhone Duo?
Fernando found a roughly one-second pause before Touch ID unlocks and thinks it could be faster. He found unlocking with a nearby Apple Watch faster than Touch ID, and recommends it if you have a watch.
Can you resize Split View windows on the iPhone Duo?
No, according to 9to5Mac. The two apps stay split down the middle. Fernando found that each side behaves like its own iPhone, you can lock the pair together, and you can drag photos and files from one app into the other.
Does screen recording work across both iPhone Duo screens?
Not continuously. 9to5Mac found that a screen recording stops as soon as you switch from one display to the other, in either direction. Screenshots capture only the active screen.
Sources
- 9to5Mac (Fernando), "I Tried Regular iPhone Things on the iPhone Duo, Here's How it Differs," YouTube, October 23, 2026: all findings.
- Apple, iPhone Duo technical specifications: 5.4-inch outer display, Touch ID in the side button.
- Thumbnail image: 9to5Mac via YouTube.