Skip to content

How we really feel about the iPhone Duo | Livestream

The Vergecast

1h 5m
Transcript

Original podcast

Summary

Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.

The Vergecast hosts David Pierce, Nilay Patel, and Allison Johnson discuss their comprehensive reviews of the new iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable device. The conversation explores the device's physical footprint, thepassport-style aspect ratio, the battery life trade-offs of keeping the screen open, and the realities of app optimization. They debate whether Apple should have adapted the iPad OS paradigm instead of building a new paradigm from scratch, examine the camera compromises on a two-thousand-dollar phone, and evaluate the quirks of Touch ID, cases, and multitasking.

  • The iPhone Duo is a heavy device with a tiny outer screen, requiring users to frequently open the inner display. 3:56
  • App optimization on the inner screen involves everything from unoptimized tiny apps to vibe-coded updates. 13:01
  • The Duo makes significant camera compromises compared to standard flagship slab phones like the 18 Pro. 38:19
  • At a starting price of two thousand dollars, the Duo is currently an early-adopter luxury device. 1:06:01

Chapters

  1. 0:00
    Show Intro and Sponsorships

    Hosts introduce the episode and list sponsors before diving into the iPhone Duo discussion.

  2. 2:27
    Introducing the iPhone Duo Reviewers

    David Pierce welcomes Neelai Patel and Allison Johnson to discuss their experience with the new foldable phone.

  3. 4:32
    Outer Display Utility and App Compatibility Issues

    Discussion centers on the usefulness of the outer screen, app optimization, and the challenges of using apps designed for a single‑screen phone.

  4. 5:51
    Size, Weight, and the Passport‑Sized Design Debate

    The hosts debate whether Apple’s chosen passport‑size form factor feels right and how it compares to competitors like the Z Fold 8.

  5. 24:19
    Hidden Settings and Touch ID/Face ID Trade‑offs

    Reviewers uncover hidden settings for Touch ID delay and volume button orientation, and discuss the shift from Face ID to Touch ID on the Duo.

  6. 27:28
    Case Design, Cradle, and Physical Handling Critiques

    The team evaluates foldable phone cases, the problematic kickstand, and the overall ergonomics of holding a heavy, two‑screen device.

  7. 32:17
    Display Quality: Matte vs. Glossy and the Crease Issue

    They examine the Duo’s matte inner screen, the visible crease, and compare it to other foldables’ glass displays.

  8. 38:58
    Camera Performance and Thermal Concerns

    Reviewers discuss the Duo’s camera specs, sensor quality, overheating during heavy use, and how it stacks against previous iPhone models.

  9. 41:48
    Market Position and Upgrade Path for Existing iPhone Users

    The hosts consider who the Duo targets, the trade‑offs for upgrading from older iPhones, and the overall value proposition.

  10. 43:29
    Camera Trade‑offs on the Duo

    The hosts debate which camera pair—telephoto vs ultra‑wide—makes the most sense for the iPhone Duo’s dual‑camera setup.

  11. 45:31
    iPhone Handoff and Dual‑SIM Strategy

    Discussion of how Apple’s handoff feature works with the Duo, carrier limitations, and the extra cost of using two active iPhones.

  12. 46:03
    App Ecosystem and Developer Challenges

    The hosts discuss how existing iPhone apps behave on the Duo, the need for dual‑app support, and the potential for future developer optimizations.

Highlights

  • 2:44

    Reviewing The Unpredictable iPhone Duoinsight

    The hosts discuss how entering the review cycle for a brand-new form factor created intense uncertainty because reviewers had no baseline for how others would react.

  • 4:43

    Battery Life Penalty Of Open Usagedata

    The guest explains that keeping the folding screen open constantly led to drastically worse battery life compared to other reviewers who primarily used the small outer display.

  • 7:03

    Not An iPhone Mini Replacementinsight

    The hosts caution that fans of the iPhone Mini will be disappointed because the Duo is a heavy phone with a tiny outer screen, not a lightweight small-screen device.

  • 16:18

    Why Didn't Apple Use iPad OS?debate

    The hosts debate why Apple chose to build a brand-new software paradigm rather than adapting the decade-old iPad app ecosystem to the new foldable.

  • 27:20

    The Terrible Folding Case Designstory

    The hosts showcase an official folding case featuring an awkward elastic middle section and a kickstand that resembles an irritating accessory.

  • 1:04:35

    Bill Gates Spotted Using A Trifoldstory

    The host shares an unexpected anecdote about interviewing Bill Gates, who casually pulled out a trifold device when asked about the Duo.

Quotes

  • “It's the new revolutionary input mechanism for the iPod, the iPhone Duo.”
    Unnamed speaker · 2:22
  • “I got drastically worse battery life than everyone else.”
    Unnamed speaker · 4:40
  • “Where you open up the messages app, it pops up the keyboard and the, you know, the Chrome at the top,”
    Unnamed speaker · 8:23
  • “Yeah, there's one text in view, and it's like, okay, this just isn't enough space.”
    Unnamed speaker · 8:29
  • “The line I keep using is the Duo wants to be an iPad in exactly the same way the iPad wants to be a Mac.”
    Unnamed speaker · 19:23
  • “Although again, I think the Z Fold 8 got much, much closer. Like it is, it is much closer to parity with other Samsung phones.”
    Unnamed speaker · 43:29
  • “If you're going to pick two cameras, you do the normal one and the telephoto one, not the normal one and the ultra wide one.”
    Unnamed speaker · 44:11
  • “I want to pair two apps. And for me, it's like, I want my email and my calendar next to each other and I want to be able to see them.”
    Unnamed speaker · 49:11
  • “I think part of what I'm so struck by with this phone, and I've been fighting with both of you about whether we like it or not all week, is I, there is some sort of expectation that comes with it's an iPhone that Apple has just done over time.”
    Unnamed speaker · 53:02
  • “I think we, we are, we are resolute on, if you are just a regular person who does not want to spend a lot of time thinking about their phone, don't buy this one.”
    Unnamed speaker · 1:05:32
  • Ring 0:00–0:40
  • On Investing 0:43–1:23
  • Jira by Atlassian 1:28–2:11
  • Framer 28:20–29:54
  • Outshift by Cisco 30:00–31:14
  • Jira by Atlassian 31:14–32:12
  • T‑Mobile 55:06–56:09
  • Amex Corporate 56:10–56:37
  • Apple Watch Series 12 56:42–57:11
  • Carmax 1:09:12–1:09:55
  • Coca‑Cola 1:10:37–1:10:42

About this episode

iPhone Duo reviews are out today and... it's complicated. David Pierce, Nilay Patel and senior smart phone reviewer Allison Johnson talk through The Verge's review and answer your questions LIVE. Further reading: The iPhone Duo is a messy, expensive, good time iPhone Duo review: messy, expensive fun Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

0:00
1:05:37

14,842 words · 8 speakers

Topics

  • Apple
  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • iPhone 18 Pro
  • Instagram
  • Z Fold 8
  • iPhone Duo
  • Google
  • Claude
  • Netflix

Page updated · transcript and summary are machine-generated