The iPhone Duo went on sale amid criticism: why the US$2,000 foldable does not convince experts

He iPhone Duo promises to combine the functions of a cell phone with a screen similar to that of a small tablet, but its price $1,999 and some technical decisions they already generate debate between specialists, hours after it went on sale in the United States and several strategic markets.

A cell phone that opens and closes several times a day It needs to withstand mechanical stress that does not exist in a conventional phone. Therefore, one of the main challenges of the iPhone Duo is in its structure and in the hinge strength that holds the flexible screen.

Apple chose grade 5 titanium to manufacture the device’s chassis, an alloy that combines mechanical resistance and relatively low weight compared to other materials with comparable performance.

The company announced an agreement of up to $100 million over the next three years with Perryman Company, which will supply titanium for various products, including the iPhone Duo.

Material produced at the Perryman facility in Pennsylvania contains at least 80% recycled componentsaccording to official Apple information. The decision seeks to reduce the use of new raw materials without abandoning the mechanical properties necessary for a folding device.

The phone also features a hinge made up of more than 100 componentsdesigned to control the opening and closing movement and provide support for the interior screen.

However, The use of titanium alone does not guarantee that the device will withstand years of use. Durability also depends on the hinge, the screen’s protective layers, and the wear and tear caused by thousands of opening cycles.

Las first independent evaluations They highlight the solidity of the construction, although there are still no tests of prolonged use that allow us to determine how this first generation will age.

Apple managed to hide one of the most visible defects of folding phones, although it still did not manage to solve all the drawbacks of the format. That is one of the conclusions that appear in the first independent reviews published before its commercial launch.

Evaluations of specialized media such as The Verge, TechRadar y Tom’s Guide The design, construction quality and treatment of the central fold of the screen stand out. Although the crease does not disappear completely, it is less noticeable during everyday use.

The iPhone Duo incorporates a 5.4-inch exterior screen and a 7.6-inch interior screen, which unfolds to offer a surface area 50% larger than that of the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

The internal screen uses a nano-textured finish that reduces reflections and makes the center crease less visibleone of the aspects that historically raised questions among users of folding devices.

But the reviews They also point to other aspects of the foldable phone. One of them is the weight: The iPhone Duo reaches 254 grams, a figure that can make it less comfortable for those who are used to lighter cell phones.

Another limitation appears in the outdoor screenwhose size and proportions may be uncomfortable for certain applications.

He software It also needs adaptations. Although iOS 27.1 incorporates functions to work with applications in parallel, the first tests indicate that not all programs correctly take advantage of the additional space.

This can cause poorly optimized interfaces, poorly distributed controls or applications that simply appear enlarged, without offering concrete advantages.

One of the first to point out this problem was Marques Brownleeknown as MKBHD, one of YouTube’s most influential tech content creators. After using the iPhone Duo for about a week and a half, he highlighted the build quality, hinge and system animations, but identified one of its biggest problems in the applications.

In his analysis, Brownlee showed that popular programs such as Spotify, Google Maps, Discord, X and Google Calendar still have problems adapting to the foldable format. Some apps appear surrounded by black stripes, while others They cannot take advantage of 100% of the screen surfaceeven when the device is fully deployed.

The problem also affects the external screen: certain apps leave unused space because their interfaces were designed for the proportions of traditional iPhones.

Another of MKBHD’s questions is related to comfort. The iPhone Duo turns out thicker and heavier than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 from Samsung, while the elimination of Face ID forces the use of a side fingerprint reader which, according to its tests, does not offer the same unlocking experience.

Mine diseaseknown as Mrwhosetheboss, came to similar conclusions. In his analysis he pointed out that some applications, such as Google Docs, and video games They do not properly take advantage of the flexible screen. He also questioned the lack of facial recognition, the weight of the equipment and the limitations of its cameras.

For the British creator, the absence of a dedicated telephoto camera represents a important disadvantage compared to the iPhone Pro, especially for those who frequently use optical zoom.

He also identified a slower loading speed and reduced performance during prolonged demanding tests. However, he positively valued the anti-glare screen and the autonomy, which in his tests surpassed that of the conventional iPhone 18 Pro.

The observations also reach the work of content creators. Tyler Stalman, photographer and YouTuber specialized in cameras and Apple products, pointed out that the format is more attractive for productivity tasks and consumption of series or movies than to take quality photos and videos.

But beyond the criticism, the first foldable iPhone began to be sold on Friday October 23 in the initial stage of commercialization. Reservations had begun on October 16, after its official presentation in September.

The base price in the United States is $1,999 for the 256 GB version. 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB configurations are also offered.

Meanwhile, Apple confirmed a second stage of international availability starting October 30.

In this sense, local distributors (Maximestore y MacStation) began to make their first estimates of prices and dates, as they told Clarín. The iPhone Duo could go on sale at a price greater than $4,500,000although both companies stressed that the values ​​so far are approximate.

Beyond its price, the iPhone Duo arrives to compete against Samsung, Honor, Xiaomi and Motorola with a double challenge: to demonstrate that Apple took the necessary time to develop a completely different model to the popular iPhone and that its folding screen can justify the additional cost compared to traditional models.