// WIRED US/UK — MOBILE & WEB
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.
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.
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.
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.