Writer, sometimes actor, Penn Stater. Sam’s dad. Comments are my own
State College-ish, PA
Joined March 2009
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48 hours with the iPhone Duo: I’m loving it, but there are definitely first-gen issues. The good news? Most look fixable with a software update. 🧵
Display and interface:
✅ The inner display looks and feels incredible. Matte isn’t for everyone, but I love it. And for a foldable, it feels surprisingly light in the hand.
❌ In portrait mode, the 4x4 icon grid leaves way too much empty space. It works in landscape (basically two iPhones side by side), but not in portrait.
✅ Unlike some, I like the Dynamic Island here. It doesn’t feel weird on the right side.
❌ But the right-hand bar holding the Dynamic Island and status bar wastes a lot of space, especially in landscape, depending on the app. The fix is obvious: updated apps look terrific, as my Oura screenshot shows.
4/
Camera:
✅ Friends love seeing themselves on the outer screen when I take their photo, and my young cousins love the Snoopy theme. I hope third-party apps add more themes over time.
❌ If you’re more than a casual photographer, the Duo’s cameras aren’t on par with the iPhone 18 Pro. Know that going in and decide if you can live with it. I’m sure a future Duo will close the gap.
5/
Final thoughts:
I got my Duo the Tuesday after launch, and I was already seeing screen-break reports on Reddit and X. They’ve only grown since. If this turns out to be widespread, Apple has a crisis that’ll make Antennagate look like a picnic.
If it’s isolated and Apple handles it with replacements and production tweaks, it’ll blow over. Either way, it’s a very real problem for anyone spending this much on a phone. If it happened to me, I’d push hard to get it fixed fast.
Still, if I were buying today or waiting on an order, I’d go ahead. This is a terrific device most people will love, warts and all.
Back in 2010, I drove two hours to a Best Buy because the closest one didn’t have the first iPad in stock. I still remember opening it in the parking lot. It was the worst iPad Apple ever made, and we all knew a first-gen product would have flaws. We stood in line, paid our hard-earned money, and loved it anyway.
If your Duo dodges the screen issue, you’ll remember it fondly for years. Are we beta testers? Sure. Just go in knowing it.
Best video for any iPhone Duo doubters I’ve seen so far
youtu.be/S7ng6TviE4A?is=NMkY…
Best advice point on the list, thanks
Trick 2: She showed them the Shift Left Edge setting the hidden display adjustment for case users.
She told them about the iPhone Duo setting buried in Display & Brightness that solves the most common frustration for owners who use a case and that most owners will struggle with for weeks before discovering.
The problem: many iPhone Duo cases slightly overlap the left edge of the outer display the edge where iOS’s back-swipe gesture starts. The case edge blocks the gesture, making it difficult or impossible to swipe back in apps. The owner fights with the gesture, assumes the phone is defective, and considers returning the case or the phone.
The fix: Settings → Display & Brightness → Shift Left Edge. The setting adds a narrow black border to the left side of the outer display, moving the gesture zone inward away from the case’s edge. The back-swipe gesture works perfectly. The setting takes 5 seconds to enable.
She told them the Shift Left Edge setting is one of the first iPhone Duo-specific settings Apple built it doesn’t exist on any other iPhone. The setting that solves the case-compatibility problem is invisible to anyone who doesn’t scroll through Display & Brightness looking for it and most owners won’t look until the back-swipe frustration drives them to search online.
Two annoyances: iPhone Duo buyers who didn't get up in time to order their new phone and now have to wait until January, and Android users who have concluded the iPhone Duo is a dud.
I adore @PitakaGallery cases, but this iPhone Duo case confused me. It only covers the phone's camera back and, like Apple's iPhone Duo Case, requires adhesive to work.
So why could you order an iPhone Duo on US carriers before at Apple.com?
Tomorrow: FLORIDA: The Complete Solo Traveler's Guide. Inside: a six-day solo drive down Highway 1 to Key West, a car-free Brightline route, and more complete itineraries. goingsolo.life/bookstore
3 days. Key West scores 5/5 for meeting people solo. Miami: 3/5 for night safety. Crystal River: 5/5 night safety, 2/5 walkability. Every Florida region gets a Solo Vibe Check in the new book. goingsolo.life/bookstore
