iPhone Duo Fast Charging Requires Specific Accessories as Early Users Learn New Controls

According to 9to5Mac, citing Apple's support document, wired fast charging can bring iPhone Duo to 50 percent battery in about 20 minutes when users use the USB-C cable included in the box and either the Apple 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max or a comparable third-party adapter rated for 60W or more that uses Adjustable Voltage Supply and supports USB Power Delivery 3.2. Wireless fast charging can reach 50 percent in about 30 minutes with a MagSafe Charger and a 35W or higher adapter, the report said. 9to5Mac noted that third-party chargers can be a better deal and named Anker's 100W charging brick as its top recommendation, while calling the discounted Apple 40W adapter a good first-party option.

The Verge reported that the Duo comes with a learning curve despite the iPhone's few fundamental changes since its inception. Among its tips, the publication said users can set orientation lock independently for each screen, leaving the outer screen locked while allowing the inner screen to rotate. Even with the cover screen locked, videos will still rotate automatically in tent mode, it said.

For volume controls, The Verge said using the Duo upside down can make the bottom button raise volume and the top button lower it; users can change this by turning off Fixed Position Volume Controls in Settings > Sounds & Haptics. The publication also said users can open Control Center by tapping the unified Wi-Fi and battery status icon, rather than relying on the three top-screen swipe gestures.

Because the phone is flipped and reoriented, The Verge recommended registering several fingers with Touch ID: a right thumb for the cover screen, a left index finger when the phone is rotated counterclockwise, and a right pinky when the inner screen is turned clockwise. It also described a complicated workaround for watching a video and using an app below it in portrait orientation: start a video, move it to picture-in-picture, open another app, rotate to portrait, then use an icon to stack the video. The Duo is designed for two apps side by side in landscape on the inner screen, with no window resizing or additional apps, and portrait orientation normally reduces the screen to one app. The publication suggested a MagSafe PopSocket for long use, saying the magnets in the phone's back panel hold it securely.