iPhone Duo to Ship Oct. 23 With Foldable Screen, Group Selfie Features and Feature Trade-Offs

According to Engadget, Apple devoted part of its September event to group selfies because iPhone owners have had relatively little flexibility in that area. The iPhone 18 Pro's front-facing Center Stage camera is limited to 18 megapixels, and while its rear cameras can shoot at 48 megapixels, they are less convenient for photos in which the user appears. The Duo's foldable design allows users to tent the phone and use its 48-megapixel rear cameras, which offer better low-light sensitivity and focus tracking, Engadget reported.

The Duo adds two iOS 27 features intended to simplify group shots. Smart Take scans for motion and automatically takes a photo when everyone freezes for a moment, the assumption being that subjects have settled into a new pose. Duo Preview shows a real-time preview on the front screen so subjects can see themselves and adjust. Engadget noted that Smart Take may capture bad shots as well as good ones, and that Duo Preview could encourage people to ham things up or pose differently from what the photographer wants.

Engadget reported several limitations in the first-generation foldable selfie system. The Duo has no telephoto lens, which may make it hard to fill the frame when the phone cannot be placed close enough to the subjects. Handheld selfies with the rear cameras require opening the Duo fully and flipping it around, a grip that Engadget described as awkward because of the thin bezels on the front display; the mode does bring Camera app controls to the front to avoid blind shooting. A Duo left standing for group shots also raises theft and stability concerns, and at 8.96 ounces Engadget said it is light enough to be tipped over by wind or a nearby bump.

The feature omissions extend beyond selfies. Engadget reported that the Duo lacks the Face ID array found on other iPhones, so users must authenticate with a fingerprint sensor in the power button or with passwords. The Camera Control button on the side rail of other iPhones is absent, as are the iPhone 18 Pro's periscope telephoto lens, mechanical aperture and LiDAR scanner. The cover display's selfie camera is 12 megapixels, compared with the iPhone 18 Pro's 18-megapixel front camera. On the software side, the Duo does not get Pro Controls for adjusting shutter speed and aperture, ProRAW support, or spatial photo and video. Apple has also declined to say how many megapixels the under-display FaceTime camera on the inner display has, Engadget reported.

Engadget also said the Duo is less durable than the iPhone 18 Pro and lacks true multi-window multitasking, suggesting Apple views it more as a media consumption device than a creative tool. The publication noted that Apple's current iPhone lineup is its most diverse in recent memory and that buyers who need those missing features may be better served by another model.

9to5Mac focused on the Duo's outer display, writing that Apple rethought smartphone navigation by placing major interface elements within thumb reach. The article said the design offers a reasonably large rectangular viewing area to the left of the dock and navigation area on the right, addressing the trade-off between small phones that are easy to reach and large screens that are better for content. The piece also raised the concept of an iPhone Solo, a non-folding device with a Duo-sized display, though the author doubted Apple would offer one and said it would depend on how well the Duo's outer screen is received.