TechCrunch Reporter Compares Foldable iPhone Duo With iPhone 17 Pro Max on Vacation

A TechCrunch technology reporter tested Apple's new foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, during a five-day vacation. The device costs about $2,000. It was an Apple loaner, and the reporter also packed an iPhone 17 Pro Max as a safety net. By the end of the trip, the reporter concluded that the Duo had won them over, despite a number of frustrations.

Durability and apps

Concerns about fragility proved unfounded. The phone fit in both front and back pockets, and the reporter repeatedly sat on it. It was also accidentally dropped at least three times onto concrete, tile and wood floors, and the screen did not crack.

The small outer screen meant more scrolling through text threads. In some apps not optimized for the Duo, features were tucked into a "more" menu. The biggest software annoyance was Google's Search app, which froze several times, apparently in connection with its AI Mode. Apps not yet updated for the device show a black bar at the side, which the reporter considered more of an aesthetic problem than a functional one. Google Maps, for example, was not optimized during the trip but worked without trouble.

Touch ID and camera

The reporter calls the lack of Face ID the Duo's biggest drawback, as the phone uses Touch ID fingerprint recognition instead. Unlocking was easy thanks to an Apple Watch, but using apps and Apple Pay was clumsy, especially when holding shopping bags and a dog leash. A future version is said to support Face ID.

The camera is also weaker than that of the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The Duo has two rear cameras to the Pro's three, no telephoto lens, and 10x digital zoom against 40x. The reporter advises photographers and content creators not to treat the Duo as a primary device, while describing the camera as fine for ordinary users.

Why choose a foldable

The reporter points to the fact that this is Apple's first foldable, with a barely visible crease and a consistent aspect ratio across both screens. The Duo is rated IP68, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is rated IP48. The reporter unfolded the phone less than expected, since doing so attracts strangers' attention and feels like the start of a deliberate screen-time session.