iPhone Duo: YouTuber Marques Brownlee Advises Most Buyers to Skip It

Tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee advises most iPhone users against buying the iPhone Duo. Apple's first foldable smartphone is fun, he said, but it is heavy, has no Face ID and has weaker cameras. Brownlee made the comments in a review video he published on his "MKBHD" channel on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

By his own account, Brownlee used the device for about a week and a half. His core verdict: Most new products have a solid basic idea and are still a bit unfinished around the edges. With the iPhone Duo, it's the other way around: "It's very polished around the edges, but pretty unfinished in the middle."

First foldable iPhone starts at $1,999

The iPhone Duo opens like a book. It starts at $1,999 with 256 gigabytes of storage; the two-terabyte version costs $3,199. The outer OLED display measures just under 13.7 centimeters (5.4 inches), the inner one around 19.3 centimeters (7.6 inches). The device runs on the A20 Pro chip and ships with iOS 27.1.

Foldable smartphones from other manufacturers have been around since 2019. Apple is years behind the competition, Brownlee said. But for many people, the iPhone Duo is the first foldable phone they would consider buying at all. The animation when opening it explains intuitively to newcomers that a larger screen is hidden underneath.

Heavy, no Face ID, many apps not optimized

Brownlee names thickness and weight as the biggest hardware drawback. Samsung's rival Galaxy Z Fold 8 is significantly thinner and a good 20 percent lighter, he said. In everyday use, that makes a big difference. He praised the build quality, with a titanium frame and IP68 protection against dust and water.

According to Brownlee, Face ID is missing because the device isn't thick enough for it. Instead, a fingerprint sensor sits in the power button. Apple built in a delay so that users first see the lock screen. That makes the sensor feel slow, Brownlee said. He expects Face ID to be the most-missed feature for people switching from other iPhones.

The biggest problem at launch is the apps, he said. When the device is closed, Apple moves controls to the right edge so they can be reached with the thumb. Many apps, such as Spotify, Google Maps, Waze, Discord, X and Google Calendar, haven't yet been adapted and show a black bar. Unfolded, they often appear small in the middle of the large screen.

Instagram and the weather app Carrot Weather have already received updates. Brownlee expects significant improvement in about six months. In addition, the device was partly buggy during testing, especially when switching between the displays.

The cameras – a 48-megapixel main camera and an ultra-wide – are on par with other foldables but below the Pro models. There is no telephoto lens, and from about 4x zoom, images get noticeably worse. Video is available only in 4K at 30 frames per second, without ProRes and Log. Brownlee called the selfie camera under the inner display bad.

Praise for display, hinge and battery

Brownlee calls the inner display with its matte nano-texture finish the hardware highlight. It hides the crease, barely reflects light and is well suited for reading and video. The hinge holds the device steady when half open. In this tent position, the iPhone Duo also switches to StandBy mode without a charging cable.

The battery, at a combined 4,900 milliamp-hours or so, easily lasts a day. By his own account, Brownlee regularly ended the day with more than 30 percent charge remaining. Two apps can be used side by side and paired. On the outer display, people being photographed can also see the framing of the shot, and it allows selfies with the main camera.

Who the device is for

For users who mainly send messages, use social networks and browse occasionally, the purchase probably isn't worthwhile, Brownlee said. The same goes for filmmakers looking for the best camera and for people who often drop their phones. Those who don't mind the price and like the idea of an iPad mini for the pocket get a device that is a lot of fun, he said.

Certain compromises in battery, speakers and cameras are simply physics with this form factor, Brownlee said. He hopes Apple will address the criticism of the device's core in the second generation: "This could be a great smartphone."