For a long time, it felt like everybody had given their two-cents on the folding iPhone except Apple itself. The device has been rumoured for so long that pretty much everyone has shared an opinion on what the device will look like, and who it'll be for. But now, at last, we know what what was going through Apple's mind.
Yes, the iPhone Duo has finally been unveiled. And the first surprise was the name. Long rumoured to be called the iPhone Ultra or iPhone Fold, Apple has opted to emphasise the, well, duality of the thing. The company isn't pushing the foldable as a single, 'ultra' iPhone. It's marketing it as a two-in-one.
The question is, what two existing products does the iPhone Fold represent? The obvious answer would be two iPhones – it's called the iPhone Duo after all, and the whopping starting price of $2000 is around that of two iPhones. But Apple's own marketing suggests that the company sees the Duo as a combination of two very specific products.
We've been somewhat taken aback by Apple's recent foray into zany TikTok content. The brand's fun, irreverent videos have felt somewhat out of character for the brand, and none more so than the latest, captioned, 'The making of iPhone Duo'. The video depicts an iPhone Air and iPad mini enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner. Yes, the suggestion seems to be that the two products enjoyed their dinner so much that they ended up conceiving the iPhone Duo. Okay, then.
As you might expect, Apple's suggestion that two of its products are, er, romantically involved, has been met with raised eyebrows. "I’d never thought Apple would make an advert like this," one user comments, while another adds, "Wait that means... Ohhh iPhone you dirty dawwwwggggggg."
But the irreverent ad also serves to confirm that Apple sees the iPhone Duo as a combination of the iPhone Air and iPad mini. Which something of a dilemma for creatives. Does the Duo manage to serve the needs of those who use both devices? Sure, the 7.6-inch inner display is close to that of the iPad mini's 8.3 inches. But there are immediate trade-offs. For one thing, the iPhone Duo will only support the Apple Pencil with USB-C, as apposed to the Pro. For another, it's possible to get an iPhone plus iPad mini for under £1500. Is it worth an extra $500 for the convenience of having both as a single product?
Of course, we'll have to wait until we've got our hands on the iPhone Duo to offer our definitive take on whether it's up to scratch as either an iPhone, or an iPad. But one thing's for sure – it's definitely complicated things for creatives.
