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Some iPhone Duo screens are already failing
(arstechnica.com)
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this post was submitted on 26 Oct 2026
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Every phone maker seems convinced that if they can be the one to make this work, they'll be the champion of world forever, or something.
I can't understand why a user would even want this. How many users do want this?
I like the idea of it, but I can live without it.
A foldable phone has the benefits of a tablet (screen size) and a phone (more compact), allowing you to alternate between the two at will. I can see the appeal.
Kinda. They tend to result in a phone that is too big to be comfortable, that open to a tablet that is too small to be all that useful.
The Duo has a cover screen that is 5.4 inches and it unfolds to 7.6", while being thicker, bigger and heavier than a 18 pro max with a 6.9" screen. Is the pro max a tablet already then, it's quite dang close in screen size after all.
To me, it's the aspect ratio of the screens.
This passport style ratio is what I want from such a device because that's how all paper looks like in my country. We use the ISO paper standard being A sizes. They're like the Goldilocks shape for books and media. Modern smartphones right now is closer to cinematic ratio of 21:9, but most TV content are still 16:9. Letter boxing is at the left and right side and I somehow dislike this.
This more bookish shape puts the letter box on top and bottom and somehow that's more preferable for me.
It also fits a lot better with papers and documents as A4 paper size is proportional to the passport ratio.
I'm going by the assumption that the duo is following the ISO paper ratio though. IIRC the Samsung fold 8 outer screen does follow it, but due to engineering the inner bigger screen is 4:3, which is not ISO paper ratio, but close enough.
All this to say that a 7.6" screen with a 20:9 aspect ratio will not fit the same way with a 1:1.4 ratio for non progressive web content. And I prefer the latter.
Things are already generally optimized for a phone screen though.
Stuff like this doesn't mess with websites that much as it's all rectangles anyway. And as the comment above said you get to alternate between the sizes/proportions at will so this becomes a non issue. Use smaller screen for common stuff and then the bigger one for movies, games, comics, ebooks, displaying recipes in big text to see from far away, and whatever else you want. People could simply carry around a tabled at all times but there's the extra convenience of it fitting in your pocket and being the same device as you wouldn't have to sync data between them. This is something similar to an argument for cameras in phones, you always have it with you ready when a need comes up and a camera you don't have with you when you need it is useless.
Yes that is a good point I noticed all the time when using a foldable. Most uses are just optimized for the standard format. Also phone holders and such.
To me it just seems like you get a tablet that is too small with the cost of having a chonky and heavy phone and a screen that has a added failure point.
But I'm one of those weirdos who doesnt know where my phone is 95% of the time. I check KDE Connect for notifications once or twice a day and if it shows that the battery is low, I find the phone and plug it in. So I guess I'm not the person these new phonetablets are marketed to
You can't understand why someone would want phone that becomes a tablet? Really?
For real. Just last weekend I was at a conference and realized that I left my tablet at home and the agenda/workbook for the event was PDF. I was pinching and scrolling with my iPhone while my colleague next to me opened up his Galaxy Fold and was reading everything fine. I mean, yeah, it's not a common need for me, but there's definitely use-cases for this--especially for people who have to read digital documents on the go a lot and don't want to have to carry extra devices just to do so.
You're saying there's been zero times you're looking at something on your phone and would like a bigger screen for it? Not once have you had something on your phone and wished it was full size? Or gone to open it on a tablet or computer instead?
All those times i also wanted a mouse and keyboard.
I can say as a Pixel 9 Pro Fold owner, I have used it. And never once have I really needed a full keyboard and mouse for what I'd even think of using my phone for.
I only use it for some mobile gaming, and websites that do very poorly on mobile despite that being the only online device for so many people nowadays.
Having actually use one as a daily driver for over a year,... it's not worth it. It's not worth the additional weight and bulk, carrying it around all the time for the handful of times I do use it. And without a significant battery increase to justify despite being literally twice as thick as a normal phone.
Having never owned a tablet, it’s either a phone or my pc monitor. I even have an iPhone 12 MINI, and I’m a bigger dude so it looks like a business card in my hand.
Same here. iPhone 13 mini and I’m a bigger dude too. Can’t stand these gigantic phablets, and the form factor of this foldable is dumb.
Not the person you asked but yes actually. I never want more screen on my phone. I barely use it. I have the Pixel because it can run Graphene OS, and I want that, but if I could run Graphene on it I'd want something smaller. It's so annoying to carry the thing around. I use my phone to test and call people. And to use organic maps and gps to tell me when my next turn is. Basically nothing else. Altho if people want to use their phone as their everything device then they're free to I guess. Just not for me. So I'd never want a folding one.
Not in this form factor, no. It’s too wide and… square to be convenient in either mode. The BlackBerry passport was a bad form factor for similar reasons.
I do. Consolidating my phone and tablet into a single device would be very convenient. Adding support for an external monitor, keyboard and mouse to replace my laptop would be even better. I didn't buy a Duo not because I don't want the product, but because I know they won't work well for another few iterations (at least).
I'll join the chorus. If the price-point were right and the tech were reliable, I'd happily trade a good amount of thickness in order to have the option of an iPad Mini or an iPhone, but in the footprint of the latter when not in use. I really prefer to carry my phone in my front pocket and not to EDC a bag.
It's just that the price-point is wrong and the tech is not reliable.
I dunno what to tell you, I love the thing. I’ve liked the idea of foldables for a while. My buddy got the Z Fold 7 and loves it, I picked up the Duo and it’s great for me.
Foldables certainly aren’t the right fit for everyone, there are inherent trade offs. But I love the concept. I love having a small tablet with me everywhere. I love how compact the device is when folded. I’m enjoying a phone that is substantially different from every smartphone I’ve ever used. It reminds me of when smartphones were new and each one had things that made them unique.
I can certainly understand why people wouldn’t want one. But I find it surprising that you can’t understand why someone would.
Because it costs 2000 USD and breaks easily? There, that would be my number one reason I wouldn't want one, and my number one reason I don't understand why someone would want one.
Again, I can understand why someone wouldn’t want one. Are you truly incapable of recognizing that other people have different device priorities than you do?
I use my phone more than any other device I own. It being expensive is justifiable if I get better use out of it. And it being fragile isn’t a problem for me, it’s plenty sturdy enough. I’ve not broken a phone in a very long time. So for me, personally, the two issues you raised that make you unable to understand why someone would want one do not deter me. Does that make sense?
China phone manufacturers like Xiaomi, OPPO, Huawei already have 5th or 6th Gen folds and they are awesome. Many people here use folds. The build quality is outstanding.
Plus the software is actually designed to use either the full screen or split screen. What Apple have done is a joke. The few people that bought the Apple fold, are returning it because the software is useless.
I'm confused, are you in China or the United States? Your comment history strongly alludes to both, depending on what you're saying.
They’re only from the US when meddling in elections or pretending to be smugly superior. Standard tankie behavior.
Been using my Honor Magic V2 for 2.5 years now, might be the best phone I've ever had. If I could change two things, it would be perfect: I'd love for it to be 1-2cm shorter and properly support third party launchers. Otherwise, no complaints at all.
Have a look at the Xiaomi 18 fold. It's an interesting size and much more compact than the previous versions.
https://m.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_18_fold_5g-14931.php
Thanks! It's similar to the Samsung Fold 8 in terms of size, right? I tried that one in a shop recently because I thought the size was interesting but it felt a bit too wide for my hands. The Xiaomi with its rounded corners might be a better fit though, thanks. I'm also waiting for more info on the rumored Motorola Razr Flex which seems to be a very interesting form factor as well (even smaller, and not as wide).
Why would I want this? Because I'm sad and I fly around the world and I thought that instead of having a tablet and phone I could have it in one!
Then I listen to these tech YouTubers say that this is it! I bought my folding phone and I very rarely unfold it. Wasted so much money and I'm like bleh ...
Then guess what? I see the YouTubers say, last year's iteration wasn't it, but this year's one fixes it!
Urgh ...
Basically the experience I had with my first smartphone: I got it into my head that having a foldout QWERTY keyboard would make writing more than just short text messages on a phone less weird and that getting a Nokia would also help ease the transition from dumb to smart since most of my previous phones had been Nokias.
Turns out I quickly stopped using that keyboard and the Symbian OS Nokia used back then was compatible with like a dozen apps or so 🤦🏻
For the same price with no tradeoffs? I'd like one. For a lot more with downsides? Nah, I'm good. I have very little need or desire for this. A normal phone shape handles 99.99% of my phone use cases perfectly. It'd be nice to have, but it's not worth much.
I want one but then I go to T-Mobile and see that dammed crease in the middle and I know my OCD ass won't be able to handle it.
And I work in the repair industry so it wouldn't last very long. And it has no practical use. At all. It's just a keeping up with the Jones gimmick and it's made by apple. All their tech sucks they survive on nothing but name.
I wanted one. I tried to buy one. It sold out faster than I could click add to cart.
I currently have an iPhone 16 pro max and it isn’t big enough. I liked the idea of having a bigger screen on-demand, in a portable cellular form factor.
Guys, we had the optimal form factor, the LG Wing, years ago! No folding displayed required!
I'm not even joking. I used mine for years and loved it.
I genuinely thought this would be some old ass phone from when before smartphones were a thing.
It came out in 2020. The phone I'm typing this on came out 1,5 years after that.
Also what is this monstrosity??
The concept is kinda cool. Take the Galaxy Fold 8 for example; a nice and compact phone that actually fits in your pocket and can be a tablet if you wanna watch a movie or something in bed or public transport.
I still wouldn't buy one; spending over a grand on a phone that even if it holds up fine can be damaged by accidentally tapping on the screen wrong seems dumb. Nevermind that I personally wouldn't buy a Samsung for multiple reasons.
That's not really a thing unless you mean tapping with a hammer or something. I've been using these since the Z Fold 3.
It's not the most wise way to spend your money of course, but not everything needs to be.
I get the appeal, especially as I get older and my vision isn't as good. Having a screen that can be bigger as needed helps in a number of ways. That said, no way I'd buy one because I don't see how they survive in the long term.
Well, I've tried it (fold6) and after 23 months the inner foil started having bubbles, then it grew to a huge bubble along the crease and shortly after the display below the bubble was black.
So while it worked well and was useful, mostly with watching movies, photos or maps I switched back to a standard phone and would never use a foldable display again since my assumptions were proven.
me, i have a Motorola flip, excellent pockeabikity, tried the Samsung Fold 8 (not ultra) looks excellent for my use but I'm poor, so it stays on the display.
Investors want repeats of the iPhone and social media revolution. They won't get it by making tweaks to the smartphone or social media platforms. Nothing will stop them from trying, but all of this is just spinning the wheels.