Early reviews praise the iPhone Duo’s hardware, but fixed split-screen layouts, awkward portrait use and poorly scaled older apps could limit its appeal as a productivity device.
Apple’s first foldable iPhone is due to go on sale on 23 October, but early hands-on reviews suggest its appeal is being shaped as much by software limits as by hardware design. While reviewers praised the device’s build quality and ambitious form factor, they also reported that several core interactions remain awkward, particularly when users try to treat the phone like a miniature tablet for work. Some of the sharpest criticism has centred on split-screen multitasking, app scaling and reachability on the unusual dual-display layout.
According to Tom’s Guide, the Duo’s side-by-side multitasking works well in landscape orientation, where users can place two apps on the 7.6-inch internal panel, save app pairs and move content between them with little delay. The same review found, however, that rotating the device into portrait mode collapses the split view into a single app before restoring the layout when the phone is turned back again. The Verge reported a related restriction, saying the standard split-screen arrangement cannot be started while the device is held upright.
That matters because Apple has pitched the foldable display as a productivity tool, yet its multitasking model appears simpler than the one on the iPad. MacRumors reported that the Duo’s divider is fixed at a 50:50 split, with no support for floating windows or more flexible tiling. In practice, that means the feature may suit quick two-app tasks, but it does not appear to offer the breadth of layouts that some buyers may expect from a larger screen.
Compatibility is another constraint. Tom’s Guide said applications designed for the device make good use of the internal display, but older or unoptimised software can leave obvious empty margins or appear only in a centred window. It cited examples including Disney Plus and The Weather Channel, which showed large black borders, while some games used only part of the available space. Apple-centric coverage has described these kinds of experiences as a compatibility ladder: the closer an app is to being updated for the Duo, the better it should fit its larger screen.
The outer screen and basic navigation also seem to involve compromises. The Verge said the 5.4-inch cover display has a more passport-like shape than a standard iPhone, which changes how familiar gestures feel, and noted that the keyboard cannot be reduced for easier one-handed typing. Tom’s Guide reported a related reachability issue on the main display, where the Dock and several controls sit to the right with no option to move them left. The review suggested Apple may be preparing a software update, but it did not identify exactly which limitations that update would address.
The overall verdict from early reviewers is cautious rather than dismissive. The hardware appears polished, the hinge and display mechanics have won praise, and the software is clearly aware of the folding design in a way that iOS has not had to be before. Even so, the current experience seems best described as partial rather than complete: landscape multitasking works, many apps run, but portrait workflows, legacy app layouts and one-handed control remain unfinished. For buyers considering a $1,999 phone, the practical question is not whether the Duo can fold, but whether its current software matches the way they actually intend to use it.
Disclaimer: This content is intended for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to exercise their own judgement, conduct due diligence, or consult a qualified expert before acting on any information provided.
