The embargo for iPhone Duo reviews has broken, which means dozens of reviews have appeared all at once. It’s like sitting in an empty office with all the phones ringing at the same time. No one can answer all of them.

So, what are reviewers saying about Apple’s new $2,000 product? What’s hot? What’s not? And what’s next?

Let’s begin with the criticisms. 

Almost every review I read is critical about the same things: the lack of a telephoto lens on the camera, the decision to use Touch ID, and lagging third-party software support for the device, with some criticism of the FaceTime camera. 

To be fair, one of those criticisms will change as developers build iPhone Duo support for their applications, while others will change in future versions of the device.

A convincing case for foldables

Reviewers seem to agree that Apple has plucked all the best ideas introduced in foldables so far and wrapped them in a highly designed, well-executed, luxurious product they think sets the scene for the next generation of foldable smartphones. As the history of most Apple product introductions shows, first-generation compromises will be overcome.

The iPhone Duo form factor itself, however, seems to be a success.

“For an iPhone user who has never experienced a foldable, I suspect they will be surprised by how quickly the larger display starts to feel useful,” wrote Francisco Jeronimo, IDC vice president, worldwide devices, in a note seen by Computerworld. “Apple has made a convincing case for this form factor. Now comes the next test: turning excitement into availability, adoption and a lasting new chapter for the smartphone market.”

Here’s what the first reviewers have to say

“Masterfully-designed”

“The iPhone Duo is a masterfully designed product that earns its two grand price tag. By borrowing the same aspect ratio as a notepad, it feels compact when folded and expansive when opened up to double in size. It’s crazy thin — just 5.2mm when folded flat — and littered with small design choices that add up to an overwhelming sense of luxury,” wrote Robert Leedham at GQ.

“Hype is justified”

“After a week of testing, I can say that hype is justified. Its polished design and thoughtful craftsmanship, headlined by a unique inner display and hinge design, set a new platinum standard for folding phones, and serve as a shot in the arm of the entire smartphone ecosystem. Needless to say, the Duo is the best foldable phone I’ve tested to date, and the freshest, flashiest phone I’ve used in years,” wrote Stefan Vazharov at Popular Mechanics. 

You may not need it

“If you want the convenience of a larger screen without carrying two devices, the Duo could be a compelling proposition. But if you prefer to use your phone and tablet separately, you’re paying a premium for a folding design you may not need,” wrote Shivali Best at the Daily Mail.

“An incredible piece of engineering”

“It’s hard to overstate just how impressive the whole thing feels in practice. The hinge feels fantastic, the smaller footprint makes it surprisingly easy to carry, and you can unfold it into a 7.6-inch display. It’s an incredible piece of engineering, and even after a week, I’m still impressed by how well the entire package comes together,” wrote Chance Miller at 9to5Mac.

“Satisfying“

“’Satisfying’ is the best way to describe the feeling of repeatedly opening and closing the iPhone Duo. It’s as if Apple inadvertently created a digital fidget spinner — the more I carried around the iPhone Duo, the more I found myself absentmindedly folding and unfolding the phone,” wrote Lance Ulanoff at TechRadar.

Cohesive. Intuitive. Useful

“Thoughtful software integrations … give the Duo’s unique design a practical purpose beyond the novelty. The result is a foldable experience that feels cohesive, intuitive and genuinely useful, which could help win over more people to foldables in general. But I think that broader appeal is still a ways off,” wrote CNET’s Abrar Al-Heeti.

“A little bit like magic”

“If you care about having the fanciest phone, this is the one. It’s a neat little book-like iPhone when folded. But that inner display, once you open it, is the nicest phone display I’ve ever seen. It’s matte and has a 120Hz refresh rate, so when you lay the unfolded Duo on a table, a still image on the display appears solid, like a painting… The transition effect Apple’s designers have conjured for opening and closing the phone does look a little bit like magic,” wrote Mashable’s Stan Schroeder.

“Strong and smooth”

“Early folding phones had creaky hinges that felt grindy and didn’t always open fully. Those pioneering devices led the way, to be sure, and they deserve credit for being first to market with those designs. But none of the four competing folding devices on my desk (all from 2026) have a hinge that feels this strong and smooth,” wrote PC Mag‘s Eric Zeman.

“Worth the wait”

“While the Duo is heavy, expensive and late to the market compared to its Android rivals, it encompasses some of the best tech used by its competitors while also redeeming features that other manufacturers have seemingly left for dead. And even though many apps still need to be optimized to fully take advantage of the Duo’s design, the release of Apple’s first foldable has been worth the wait,” said Engadget’s Sam Rutherford.

“Something magical”

“At the risk of sounding cliche, there’s something magical about using the iPhone Duo. The way it seamlessly transitions from phone to tablet and back again. The fact that you can’t even feel the crease — though it is visible. And the way the software reacts based on the angle of the device,” writes Mark Spoonauer at Tom’s Guide.

My take

Having read these reviews, I don’t think any of them will quell enthusiasm for Apple’s $2,000 device. I also think its introduction will help Apple create a mind shift among consumers, some of whom may recall when the $499 entry-level price Apple charged for the original iPhone was seen as too expensive. 

In this case, by combining premium hardware design with smart software decisions, Apple seems to have created an experience many consumers will value. Even those who don’t will probably spend time snapping the fold on the display units at their local Apple Store, if only to find out if doing so really is “satisfying” enough to spend two thousand bucks on a machine for doom scrolling and taking pictures of the family cat.

I believe Apple has reset the industry and will sell as many of these things as it is able to create. I also look forward to seeing what it comes up with next year. There’s only eleven months — and the many stages of new Apple product rumor — until we find out. That suggests the first well-timed Bloomberg rumor will slip just before Christmastime…

Now please subscribe to my daily, human-curated Apple-related news headline feed at The Core, or follow me on BlueSky, LinkedIn, or Mastodon.

The UK wants to take a chunk out of Apple Pay, as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) moves to force Apple to open access to its 12-year-old contactless payment system to rivals.

The regulator has published a consultation document that proposes requiring Apple to allow competitors to use the near-field communication (NFC) chip on its devices to enable alternative payment systems on iOS  on “fair, reasonable, transparent and non-discriminatory terms.”

The regulator says action is required because UK businesses have complained that Apple’s existing NFC access arrangements are not commercially viable.

30% of UK adults use Apple Pay?

The regulator also revealed some interesting statistics concerning use of contactless tech in the UK:

• Contactless payments represent 39% of all payments, compared to just 3% of transactions a decade ago.
• 62% of adults currently use a digital wallet.
• 50% of those use Apple Wallet — which implies that around 30% of UK adults use Apple Pay.

“These proposals open the door to more innovation, more choice and economic growth, including in the UK’s important fintech sector,” said Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA.

It’s not clear if those companies will take advantage of this forced liberalization. The CMA tells us that the only services that have done so in the EU, where Apple has already been forced to open up NFC, have all been transnational entities, including Vipps, PayPal, Klarna, Curve, and BBVA. Are consumers flocking to these services to rejoice in this new market liberalization? While this open NFC has only been in place a few months, I don’t think so.

Who will really benefit from this?

Cardell also said, “By removing barriers to entry, we can help create the conditions for brilliant British businesses with great ideas to develop new products and services here — from payment apps and digital IDs to travel passes and digital keys.”

That seems highly speculative to me, but I can see UK banks offering up digital payments directly via Apple’s NFC as the most likely outcome of the new rule. In a statement, David Geale, executive director for consumers, payments and competition at the Financial Conduct Authority, said, “Opening up this technology will also support the expansion of open banking, enabling more people to make payments directly from their bank accounts.”

I imagine the banks will turn out to be the real motivation here. To my mind, it suggests the sector wants to use regulation to muscle in on the ecosystem Apple has made and wants to make direct use of NFC on iPhones to cut Apple out of the revenue generated by these payments as much as possible. 

The CMA admits, after all, that part of the reason it began this work was because it had complaints from competitors. Lenders and fintech businesses have challenged the 0.15% fee Apple takes on credit card transactions carried out via Apple Pay. The inference isn’t hard to see. With 39% of all payments made by adults in the UK being contactless, those tiny payment processing fees look like profit to banking shareholders, and they want it back. 

Apple responds

They won’t get it all back. Even the CMA concedes that Apple deserves a “fair reward” for providing access via its platforms and ecosystem, but I doubt it will hang onto as much as it makes now.

In a statement, Apple said, “We do ⁠not believe the CMA should require Apple to adopt an approach with lower privacy and security protections. We will continue to engage constructively to reach an outcome that is in the best interest of our users.”

Privacy or profits?

Digging a little deeper, the proposals will demand technical changes from Apple. The two main globally used contactless technology standards are secure element (SE), which stores information on-device, and host-based card emulation (HCE), which stores data off-device. 

Neither technology was developed by Apple, and both are used across other mobile ecosystems. While Apple now supports HCE and SE in the EU to meet Digital Markets Act regulation, it has historically avoided supporting HCE to protect the privacy and security of customers. That is almost certainly because it sees risks in storing highly confidential payment data off the device. 

Payments on Apple’s devices are instead protected by secure element. European developers wanting to use NFC with HCE systems must apply for a specific Apple NFC/HCE entitlement and meet technical, security, and regulatory standards, which will likely be the approach Apple takes in the UK if the CMA gets its way.

Will consumers really benefit from this? 

I doubt it, but the move will almost certainly prise some money out of Apple’s grasp, which will then be shared among other corporate entities, some — though probably not all — of whom may even value customer privacy as much as Apple does. In the end, it’s all about the money, and someone will take a slice of it. Does it really matter who that is?

Now please subscribe to my daily, human-curated Apple-related news headline feed at The Core, or follow me on BlueSky, LinkedIn, or Mastodon.