iPhone Duo: Is Apple’s Foldable Worth $2,000?

All right, guys. It's iPhone Duo time. >> Who Who wants to start? >> Woohoo. They brought back Duos. >> They did. I know. >> I had a power I had a PowerBook do. >> I I'm happy that they thought it was okay to reuse that name. It's a It's a good name for it. It makes it >> it it it makes it um there's a there's a a a fun factor in that name. It's simple. It's not something that it doesn't feel out of reach even though of course you know the price is where it is but um you know it's it's it it communicates that it's for everyone not for you know business use or you know it's not it it doesn't it doesn't even say pro right like it's it's just the iPhone and really it's an iPhone air I mean all the tech from the air it it it it clearly who was a precursor to this and then uh it's an iPhone air and and an iPad mini essentially you know all in one which is which is the thing that makes the price justifiable for me because I am needing a new iPad mini and this in theory anyway sort of solves that. uh and a new phone, you know, kind of at the same time. Now, I realized I could buy an iPad mini and a and an iPhone 18 Pro for less than I can buy the duo. Super aware of the math. Uh >> yep, >> but I think I'm going to do it, which is I am eager to have, you know, essentially a smaller iPhone. I I mean this this form factor works for for my it suits my needs. Um uh you know I was at that UG Green event last week where they announced their new kind of home AI uh server and there were you know journalists from not just Apple focused publications there for obvious reasons and uh and so there were a lot of people with you know Samsung foldables and looking at them it was like okay yeah that I want that I I want to be able to take that thing and fold it I want to take my iPad mini and fold it up and put it in my pocket. Um, >> yeah. >> Yeah. >> I was >> What was the name you used to call it, Adam? Fablet was it? >> I don't remember that, but maybe. >> Yeah, I think it was on your show. >> Huh. >> Yeah. >> Oh, probably. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Foldable tablet. Um, it was interesting. I was watching a recap from Lionus Tech this morning, actually. >> Um, just giving his thoughts on on the duo. um he's a YouTuber. You can check him out if you want. But um uh he brought up an interesting point because they were talking about he was talking about some of the battery battery life numbers and and um I guess Apple's posted their numbers is like basically with the assumption that you're using each screen the the outer screen or the open inner screen about 50% of the time. >> Yes. >> Is kind of how it went. and he went, "They already know from existing foldables that the the inside screen is barely used." Like interesting. >> Which just that got me thinking like, "Well, then why do we need a photo foldable?" Like, >> it's like the use case is like very rarely. people are mostly just using them like like a a implication was I'd have to do more research on it to validate what the exact numbers are with foldables, but that people will buy foldables and mostly use them like a bar phone. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Oh, >> so I don't know what the split is. I don't know if it's actually 7525 or 9010. It'd be interesting to know those numbers. Like >> my guess is that it will be probably 7030 for me, but it might be 8020. Yeah, for sure. Like that to me that's the benefit is having the ability because there are there are times and they happen maybe not every day, but certainly when I'm out and about where it's like I just want more real estate to see this. I know that so much of the world is built for the mobile web, right? And we talk so much about that and and obviously websites are designed that way, but they're really not. There's there's always things missing and it's like I I want that now. Now maybe as more and more services adopt a chat style interface, right, where you're not dealing you you're just getting the information you want. then maybe I would go backwards to a smaller phone where I I just have the chat style interface and it's just giving me the information the way I want it. Maybe even audibly. But for in today having the ability to fold out and see a thing I I would find like I I that is a frustration of mine. So, but but you're right, it wouldn't be 5050. Oh, I I would be shocked if I was using it 50/50 like that. >> The one use case that I really thought was interesting on it, and I'm sure other foldables have this, but um looks like Apple did an amazing job with the UI, is just because the hinge is so adaptable and and it can be used in that sort of partially folded mode. It's what I'm going to call the 1990s portable DVD player mode. >> Yeah. >> That on an airplane, I think, would be like awesome. You've got the controls down on on the flat part of the screen and then your full, you know, video playing on the upper part of the screen. Like that looked really cool to me, you know, and some of the other kitsy things like the nightstand mode. I mean, that's really, you know, and then they added I think that's the thing about it is they added a bunch of software touches that I think take it to the next level. And I think I was again watching reaction videos and stuff like that and I think it was Marquez Brown who said that another YouTuber if people don't know um he said that that was kind of what put it over the cuz he's used other foldables and he's reviewed other foldables and he's like that was like the edge case where it's like it's a lot like other premium foldables that are on the market from Android devices. But what Apple has done is all the tiny little software touches and the enhancements that only Apple can do. He said even to the point where like the reaction time on unfolding it is so fast. He says every other device there's a slight delay when you're opening it you get that little flash. He's like >> he was doing it multiple times in his video and he's like it's like instantaneous like the minute you try to crack it you can't catch it not turning on that inner display. So that seamless like transition and it's just those little touches that >> they're not huge things like in terms of like the actual technology. It's not tech specs. It's not, you know, but it's the experience part of it, right? And so they put like the nightstand mode with where the inner screen can come on and do that warm light thing that's supposed to wake you up gently, right? I don't know if you guys caught that in the keynote. So, like if you're using it as the alarm clock, they're like, "Yeah, it can, >> you know, bring up the lighting slowly and that nice warm warm light and wake you up." Those are like little nice touches that are software things that are like, "Okay, this is kind of pretty cool from that perspective." What I'm curious about is is the inner display. Um, >> yes, they both have the ability to be always on displays. So, no, I was thinking about Marcus Brown's um comment, right, that that it appears to just like you can't catch it when it's, you know, off. >> Yeah. >> What if it's never off? What if it's doing one hertz refreshes of a screen without the backlight on so that the image on it is what it would be if you're about to open it up? And then all that has to happen is it turns on the light and that's it. and then and then it can like you know catch up on the refresh rate and do all the things. But like I to me that that would be the way to do it. And and Apple's tech specs say that both displays support prootion tech with adaptive refresh rates up to 120 Hz which means they go all the way down to one hertz or even less. Right? So that I think is probably the way a way of doing that. I don't know that it's how Apple did it, but that would it would that would be a way of solving the exact problem that you described with those Samsung phones where you see it sort of flicker as it comes on. >> Yeah, you have to live with with the plastic display >> that the matte display. I know. >> I know, but it's plastic. >> Yeah. I I think I So the the it I mean Well, we've got foldable glass, but not that foldable. Um >> I Yes. I I don't know. I I like We'll That remains to be seen. We'll we'll see. Yeah. Because that because that's the display I'd be watching a movie on, you know. Um what's the And what's the scratchability of this? It Because >> I would assume it's more scratchable. What happens with like the crumb factor, right? There's crumbs in your pocket. They get in between the thing. you now have smashed this crumb between two screens and grind on it. You know what's >> So, it's a real thing with all foldables and I and and like Apple's claiming their technology is somewhat better, right? But >> at the end of the day, it's it's going it's unavoidable. No matter I don't care what technology you throw on top of it, it's not going to be as durable as glass. >> Yes. So, >> and you wouldn't want glass. I mean, it has to be plastic. Like, that's the thing, but like >> that's part of it. Yeah, exactly. >> Tactile. But you bring up a good point is like how often are you actually going to be >> using those screens touching them? I guess it depends on what you're doing. If you're just watching movies and stuff like that, >> you know. No, you're just going to >> I'll be touching I'll be touching that screen. Oh, for sure. Because I'm going to use it for uh, you know, web browsing and and probably email and things like that. So, yeah. >> Maybe it doesn't even matter. Like, I don't know. I've never used one, but >> we'll see. Right. the the the iPhone was the original iPhone was supposed to have like the the the lowerriced model was supposed to be plastic and they did a they they upgraded everybody. I mean, you know, for lack of a better term. Um I I really thought it was interesting. Apple has always been um a master of PR and the conversation that was happening as it was being announced and after it was being announced was the one thing Apple didn't talk about. The initial conversation, obviously there's been a lot of other things, but the initial conversation was, "Oh, it doesn't have MagSafe." And then, of course, if you look at the spec sheet once they released the specs, it absolutely has Mags Safe. Um, and and I thought, look at Apple controlling the message by not sending the message. Like, they literally they could have said, and it supports, you know, Mags Safe and and G2 or what, you know, whatever, G2.2, to whatever whatever they wanted to say. They could have said that. It would have cost them almost no time. So that omission was absolutely intentional and it caused people like sir sure people were talking about the price but it was like yeah but if it had Mag Safe that be the thing. It's like oh it does oh okay great. >> What is the complaint about the price? The price is >> I have no complaints about the price. I agree. >> Wow. Okay, >> $3,200 for the two terabyte model. Uh, which I noticed. I think they're embarrassed about it because they didn't even say anything but the base. Yeah, I get it. But >> that's memory tax, but >> they only say said, and here's the thing. I looked at it and the my number one thing to stay away from it was going to be the camera. Well, they did say they put in the same 48 megapixel Fusion ultrawide as in the 18 Pro. So, I'm like, okay, so the camera is going to be almost as good. But I noticed there's two lenses, not three. >> Yeah. You don't get the aperture control and all that stuff. >> Yeah. Which it's fine. I get that. Or or it be 3400 for the for the base. >> Well, it would be too thick. Remember this is iPhone it like iPhone air is the thing the tech that allows this to happen cuz >> Well, and that was my other question or comment was that they said they stated this is their thinnest iPhone ever. Obviously unfolded, not folded. Correct. So really, is it thinner than the Air? Yes. >> At 5.6 millimeters. >> 5.2. 5.2 is what? >> So, it is thinner than the air when it's open. All right. Well, that's that's cool because that's one of the questions I hadn't gone back and looked at. >> It has to be because when it's folded, it's going to be >> any that's another challenge of foldables, right? Is is they become really thick when they're when they're folded. >> Yeah. And it it's 11.3 when it's folded. Okay. Um which I I mean 5.1 and a half. Yeah. All right. >> Yep. uh >> or 5.6 and a half. >> Yep. >> But yeah. >> Yeah. Because you've got cameras and all that stuff. >> And and the hinge keeps it apart, I think, is the is the key there. >> And I get that part of that price is that that whole hinge system with over a 100 parts in the hinge alone. Oh my god. >> Apple has always obsessed about hinges. It when the first iBook came out, that hinge was like the feature that the industry was like, "Oh, look what they did." the engineers. >> The engineers >> put this together, right? And so I I get that. Um >> I just man that that's a big chunk of price. Although I thought I would need a 1 TB. It turns out my 17 Pro Max is only 512 and I'm only using 360 of it. So I can get away with with a 512. >> I I can get away I have a my 17 Pro is a 256. Um because before I bought it, I looked at what I was using and it was fine. Now, running the betas of iOS 27 all summer, uh, if I go into iPhone storage and scroll to the bottom, my system data is 59 gigs. That's like logs and temp files and stuff that you can't clean out without wiping the phone and starting from scratch. So, I but even with that, I have 20 gigs available, 26 gigs available. However, I think if I were on the iPhone Duo, I think I would go from 1999 to $21.99 and buy the 512 because I'm going to want to put movies on this thing to watch on an airplane. And as it stands right now, I can't do that. So, uh, we just lost Pete, so he'll come back. Go ahead. Hopefully, he'll come back. Um, well, I want to make some comments to him on the on the pricing thing, but on the storage thing, >> um, I I'm kind of in a similar boat because I was like, "Oh, I didn't even know what I had cuz uh it's been 2 years since I bought an iPhone and I'm like, "Oh, what storage do I actually have?" Cuz I looked at it, I'm like, "Oh, 256. That's not enough." I went and looked at my usage. Um, I'm on the iOS 27 beta. I have a 256 and I have 136 gigs free. So, I'm like, "Oh, I'm good." Yeah, I I could get away >> more than this >> on the Duo. I could get away with putting I mean, if I took if I cleaned off this 60 gigs or if I got it down from 60 to six, which is where it probably should be, uh then I would um absolutely be able to uh you fit some movies on here. I mean, you know, I'd have to manage them a little bit more actively, but that's okay. like I don't travel that often that you know I need to just leave like my iPad I think I leave you know 200 gigs of movies on it and I'm I'm okay with it because I have the storage like it's fine >> but I don't need them all so I could actively manage that and be totally fine. >> Um but I probably will go with the 512 >> just because >> Yeah. And it's $21.99 for the 512. So it's like okay like it's 10% >> $200 tax. Um, so Pete, I just wanted to to clarify my statements about the pricing because yes, >> two grand for an iPhone seems like a lot, but I would tell you go out and start pricing out other luxury foldables, high-end fold foldables. And Apple came in right in the middle, right in kind of the average price range for this type of device in an age where we've got massive increases in chip costs. And like that's why I'm saying this is an amazing price for this product at the time it's coming out. They could have easily said it's 2500 and people would still buy it. That's the thing. And Apple knows it. So, that's where I'm coming from on the pricing thing is like they could have gouged and easily easily done it. >> Um, >> you know, so they're either right spot on with the competitors or kind of in the middle depending upon, you know, which brand and which models you're looking at. >> Yeah. The the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is $18.99 for the 256 gig and $20.99 for the 512 gig. So, it's 100 bucks. >> Yep. >> So, >> Yep. >> All right. Well, I don't know if you noticed or not. I I dropped off and back. >> Oh, yeah. Know, we talked about that. >> It was my uh it was my Wi-Fi. You're right. >> I figured because I lost connection even with my router. Anyway, so yeah. So, back to it. Um I'm I'm tempted. I really am tempted. It's a lot of coin to put out for this thing, but I would love to be able to talk about it and my experience with it on the show and and with other people. And my daughter wants a new phone, so she might get my handme-down. >> See how you just made it a tax deduction by saying that? >> There you go. Uh exactly. Um the uh uh the pricing uh anyway uh no so the camera I'm I'm excited about the the engineering that they put into the hinge was just like I'm like oh my god I can't imagine >> the micro machinery that they needed to do to be able to do that. But the question is will there be a will there be a line a fold crease a crease >> no receivable >> no it's not after after six months will there be a crease I don't know >> I don't think so I I because I think that would be the biggest warranty claim that Apple like that would be there would be a class action suit on that yeah no I and I think that's Apple's the reason Apple >> like one of the reasons Apple waited to get here was so that they could be the first to release a phone that had no viewable crease. And and they, you know, they they did it and they just >> That's good. >> Their performance is what's amazing to me that uh uh well, it's at least as long as you're only using the outer display. I had Claude compare it and said, "Yeah, as long as you're only using the outer display, you're going to beat the 17 Pro's performance uh as battery life and such." Once you start using the inner display, that goes down. But the dual battery system obviously they've put a lot of thought into to managing that. And you know what? I I can't remember the last time that I couldn't Well, I can't actually. I was which has to do with We'll talk about the 18 Pro and the cooling. And I think they've got the cooling down as well. Uh that's the last time I really beat my phone battery down to almost zero. >> You you referenced this time twice, but you didn't share what the time was. When was it? Oh, uh, the um, on the when I was on my boat trip and I was using a program called Navionics, which just absolutely crushed my CPU. It was constantly crushing it. When I would put it on like Anchor Watch, uh, it's just sitting there pinging, pinging, and the phone would heat up to so hot it would dim itself and all that. So, that alone for the cooling uh, is going to be a big thing. But it say yeah video playback best case uh for the it says up to 44 hours for the outer display and iPone iPhone 17 Pro is 39 hours. >> Yep. >> Uh inner display it's saying up to 31 hours. But I can't remember the last time I didn't have charging available. >> Yeah. >> You know for for that many hours. So that shouldn't be a factor. And I also like the idea of I've several times used it in my airplane with fourflight and the charting on forflight is going to be obviously much better than on a a Pro Max >> format. So yeah. Yeah. >> All right. Time to talk about the 18 Pro or do you have >> I I I want clarification on I want clarification on the crease and there's a couple other items I don't think we hit on the duo that are important. >> Okay, great. >> So uh clarification on the crease. There absolutely is a crease from again all the reviews and Marcus Brown said it matches I forget which some other model and he said it is the most imperceivable crease of any foldable phone on the market. >> So there's always going to it's unavoidable. There's always a crease. He said you can feel it if you know you're kind of going over that area with your finger. Um it's almost completely unnoticeable. Um, the other thing he pointed out which I thought was funny and I think he's right on this too. Um, the the inside and I don't think it matters that much but just so people are aware the inside camera that is under the display >> Mhm. >> the the face camera when you have it unfolded. It's cool technology, but those cameras suck. >> And he showed some video. It's it's terrible video quality. Um, and most of the Android photos have gotten away from it because of that. It's like people would rather have better quality. Now, that said, most of the time you're either going to be using the outside FaceTime camera or you're going to do the unfold thing. You're you're not going to be using that camera that much probably. So, that's probably where the trade-off is. So, there's that. And then, what was the Oh, did we mention it's Touch ID and not Face ID, which I think is cool. I think that was the right call. >> I I agree. I I I have no issue with with that. Face Face ID is far I still have Touch ID on my iPad and I love it using it. >> Yeah, it's integrated in the button. So, you push the button to wake it up. You're logged in. I mean, it's it's the right thing to do. It's right on the side. The only other complaint that I've heard. Um, and you can see this in the demo video when they're showing taking a photo. The camera button on it is like down on the bottom corner, >> which is really weird. Uh, and then just so people know, the volume buttons are on the top. Um, which I think is also the right call because when you're oriented in the sort of open mode, uh, they go in the direction you would expect. Up is up, you know, up is to the right and down is to the left. >> Ah, okay. That make Yeah. I I mean similar compromise that had to be done on iPads, right? It can only be up in one orientation. So, you you get you got to pick that. And and I am I I found a uh an image that we're sharing in the YouTube video with the crease. Yeah. Where it you can see it's it's not as much of a crease as it is a you know foldable area. It is it is a it's not this the thin line of a crease. It is a a >> it's like a small wave in the image. >> Bump. It's a wave. Oh, that's a great term. Yep. Love it. >> Yeah. >> It's unavoidable. I mean it's just the technology. It is what it is. Like >> Yeah. I mean the thing's going to bend. Yeah, exactly. >> But it is the best in the industry currently. >> Yeah, currently. >> And the one other question actually my daughter had and I went, "Oh, that's right." You know, what if you're left-handed, can you get those controls? Can you get the dock on the left side? >> Oh, yeah. I was looking into that, too. And I haven't validated that. It's Apple with accessibility. I have to imagine it's a thing where you can reorient it for a left-handed use cuz that that's the other last about the software stuff. So the the nicity about the software stuff is the touches that Apple did were the smart things to do. And I think that's again where that puts this device ahead of some other things. They were very smart about thinking about like, okay, we've got this little extra area. We want to keep your content the focus. We're going to redesign or give new APIs and things to developers so that they can optimize. And the other thing that they did, and this is going to be a controversial, is the fact that both those screen ratios are the same. That was a very important developer design decision because other foldable devices developers have to deal with like four different aspect ratios on a single device. >> Yeah. And that's like gets really frustrating, >> you know.