I Returned My iPhone Duo

yzydserd

The author's first two reasons for return are not liking Touch ID or the outer screen. These are two of my favourite aspects. Each to their own. I like the short screen in particular, having always consciously felt that my focus zone was only a fraction of the slab format.

globular-toast

> I used to think this was a bit boring. I’d get a new phone, restore it from a backup, and then think “what now?” It wasn’t usually appreciably different than my previous phone, and I felt like I missed the pre-iPhone days when I’d switch form factors all the time to try new things: a Sony Ericsson slab phone, a Samsung flip phone, a Nokia with a truly bonkers keypad layout. I even tried a Windows Mobile phone for a spell. I wonder how many thousands the author has spent chasing the dragon.

Shank

I feel like there are a lot of reviews like this, where people talk about why the phone wasn’t for them, but not the opposite. Why are Duo owners keeping theirs? It’s kind of maddening to only see one dimension of the device.

dingdongditchme

>I’m not convinced that most apps will adapt well to the Duo seems like the crux of the matter right there.

bprathamesh2003

The "which screen do I use this time" decision is what I suffer with the most.

Retr0id

This article made me realize I'd never consider returning a non-defective product, I wonder why that is.

rvz

The majority of reports of people reporting issues with their Duo are due to the early defects found in the phone [0]. Yet another reason why it makes sense to never buying the first version of an Apple product [1], since previously: > "But once again as I said before, don't buy the first version of an Apple product." This was Apple's first foldable iPhone. If the price wasn't enough of a deterrent, then the defects should now be even clearer to wait until Apple fixes them in the next version. [0] https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/oct/26/iphone-du... [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49631052

jonplackett

Still waiting for my Duo so I have no authority really but… Complaining about app support in the first week of release is silly. It will obviously get better very fast. Apple will force developers to make all new updates work well.

devttyeu

I have a Duo: * TouchID (as implemented on Duo specifically) sucks, really hope next gen has FaceID * Screen ratios make reels-like addictive content less appealing which is great for me * Inner screen is a game changer for using Agents on the go, absurdly better than a normal phone I’m keeping mine, the big screen on the go is a completely different level of productivity.

mattlondon

Does anyone actually want these kinds of devices I wonder? Feels like VR headsets all over again - lots of hype from the manufacturers and obscenely expensive devices, and .... no one wants them or even cares? I go past a Mac store in London frequently. It is usually very very busy ... apart from their VR headset table that has exactly zero people at it. Its become a bit of a joke for me now to see if there is ever a single customer there. Seems like more than 15billion USD well spent!

throwaway2037

What a weird post. No Face ID would be a pre-purchase "no go" for many people. What happens to these returned phones?

mmahemoff

I contemplated returning my Duo for the first 12 hours. A week later, I wouldn’t dream of it. In closed form, it’s tiny, especially with keyboard active. Not something I’d want to be using for more than two minutes, let alone reading or watching videos on. This was my main concern, but I soon realized closed form is “pocket mode” since in my pocket is just about the only time the phone is closed. Occasionally I’ll pull it out and, keeping it closed, select some audio, set up a call, or emoji-react, then put it back. The rest of the time the phone is open, whether I’m out or at home, charging or not. Another problem is what OP mentions, touch ID. It seemingly jumps around like whack-a-mole because of the 8 possible combinations of (open/closed state) x (orientation). There’s even more dimensions to hammer your muscle memory if you also consider which hand you’re using or whether you’re using it with one versus two hands. I’m gradually getting used to guessing where the Touch ID is though. I do prefer it for wallet payments since the finger is already on the button. I’ve learned to double-click and verify before making any attempt to tap the phone. The keyboard in open mode is full-width, and that’s not fun to swipe-type on. I think Apple overlooked this since they omitted the iPad setting to reduce the keyboard size. I expect that’s coming eventually. As for apps, many third-party apps are still using un-responsive layouts like the early iPad days. Some, e.g., Kindle, are outright non-functional when the phone is open. Certain companies will rave about their AI chops yet they’ve been unable to compose a few magic prompt words to target Duo. This will improve in time. I’ll live with all these trade-offs for the bigger screen. Reading and video were obvious applications, but using maps when mobile was a pleasant surprise. It feels like folding out an old paper map. It’s very readable in the sun too. I prefer reading on electronic display to e-ink due to the responsiveness, so it’s a big win to have an electronic display that doesn’t suffer from glare. I think preferences will heavily depends on lifestyle. In particular, people who drive a lot won’t see the same benefits. If you spend a lot of time walking or on public transport, it’s a game changer.

SirFatty

Amazing what people spend time writing about. I returned a toaster oven a couple weeks ago.

jamesponddotco

I got a Duo, coming from the Google Pixel Fold and an iPhone 16 Pro Max, and got to say I agree with the Touch ID issue, but mostly because I got so used to Face ID. I keep finding myself looking at the screen and then remembering this one uses Touch ID, not Face ID. Aside from that, I'm ditching the Pixel Fold and the other iPhone, and going only with the Duo. Love the form factor, got used to it really fast, and reading books and mangas, which is what I use a foldable for, has been a delight. If only we got a Tachiyomi kind of application for iOS. I'm making it do with Panels[1] and an OPDS-compatible proxy for a manga website[2], but it sucks in comparison to Tachiyomi-like applications. [1]: https://www.panels.app [2]: Which I still have to open source, but I want to finish the plugin system first.

VCFundedGenYer

It's a first gen product. Author should have known better. They got what they deserved.

kristianp

Why is there no FaceId? Is the camera too low-res?