The Verge Says iPhone Duo Is Not a Small Phone

The Verge said its review prompted questions from Mini fans who noticed the cover screen's size and asked whether the Duo was a small phone that turns into a tablet. The answer, according to the review, is no. The Duo pairs a small outer display with a large, dense body, and users feel that weight when reading email, scrolling Instagram or carrying the phone in a pocket. The reviewer said they own an iPhone 13 Mini and refuse to give it up even though it barely lasts a full day, but after a week with the Duo, the 13 Mini felt almost comically light.

The front panel is also wider than the 13 Mini's, at 84.1mm compared with 64.2mm, The Verge said. That makes it harder to reach a thumb across the screen as Mini users can. Controls placed on the right side help somewhat, and The Verge cited Wired as reporting that Apple plans to add its reachability feature to the Duo later this year. Even so, the reviewer said there were inevitably items that required a tap outside one-handed reach, ending the illusion of using a small phone. The Duo does provide a much larger onscreen keyboard; the Mini's keyboard feels cramped by comparison, according to the review.

The Verge argued that liking a small phone is not the same as liking a small screen. A larger screen is preferable for many tasks, the review said, but Mini users accept a tiny display in exchange for a phone small enough to forget in a pocket. The Duo offers a different tradeoff: users tolerate a small cover screen in exchange for a much larger screen when needed, and that cover screen is attached to a big, heavy phone. The reviewer said the Duo was not unpleasant to use but required calibrated expectations. People expecting a small phone that expands into an iPad Mini will be disappointed, while those expecting a small-screen experience they can tolerate to get a larger display will have the right idea.