神森勉@シニアエキスパート

📱 iPhone Duo after a few days of use I’m not an influencer or a YouTuber, and Apple isn’t paying me. I’m just a regular user, like thousands of others, rediscovering the excitement of tech. I haven’t felt this excited about a real change in the iPhone experience since the iPhone X. First impressions I’ve never been a big fan of foldable phones. The width, the crease, the form factor, the durability… They never really appealed to me, and I was pretty sceptical about the Duo. But once I had it in my hands, I was pleasantly surprised. Of course, it still has its pros and cons. Format What I’ve enjoyed most is the folded size, but especially how much room you get when you open it. I’ve always had an iPhone and occasionally bought an iPad. My latest is an Air 4, which everyone uses at home, so it doesn’t feel particularly personal anymore. I also had an iPad mini but sold it after a few months because I wasn’t using it enough. The Duo feels different: it’s my phone, and whenever I need more space, I can just unfold it. Watching a video while chatting on Telegram is such a pleasure. Display The inner display has been a lovely surprise. I wasn’t expecting it to look or feel this good. The nano-textured finish really cuts down reflections, and after a few days of watching videos and looking at images, my eyes have completely adjusted to it. As for the circular cutout around the camera, you really do stop noticing it. You’ll obviously see it in direct sunlight, but once you’re focused on the content, it pretty much disappears. Sound The sound is decent, although it doesn’t match the iPhone 17 Pro. It’s a little less detailed and has less bass, but it’s more than enough for everyday content. I don’t need a home cinema in my pocket. Camera I’m a designer and love taking product and nature photos. The camera doesn’t match the Pro or a dedicated camera, but I’d say its 48MP sensor is enough for 90% of people. Apple’s post-processing helps improve the final image, too. For family photos, it’s more than enough. For night photography, though, don’t expect anything exceptional. That’s definitely not its strongest point. Weight Yes, you feel it, especially when it’s folded. Once unfolded, the weight is spread out and feels more manageable, particularly when holding it with both hands, which is how I usually use it. But during longer sessions of browsing, gaming, or messaging, I do start to notice it. The weight gives it a substantial, premium feel, but there’s a trade-off in comfort over time. Design I went for the dark finish. I’ve seen plenty of comments about fingerprints, but I haven’t noticed many on mine. I guess it depends on how you use it. The shape is a little unusual, with straight corners on the left and rounded ones on the right. The UI has to accommodate that, which isn’t particularly bothersome, although the extra spacing on the right creates some visible asymmetry. App compatibility Quite a few apps aren’t fully adapted to the Duo yet, and some don’t look great on the larger screen. I expect things to improve as updates arrive on the App Store. I’m still waiting for my own @nachozapp update to be approved 😁 I would’ve loved to jump straight into games that take full advantage of the unfolded display for a more immersive experience, but I think it’s only a matter of time. Comfort and grip It feels nice in the hand, and the materials are smooth to the touch. I have large hands, and my index finger naturally rests in the recessed area beneath the camera, which makes it comfortable to hold. My little finger is another story: it ends up supporting the bottom edge, and that gets uncomfortable after a while. Crease The crease is only really noticeable to me when the light hits it at a certain angle, particularly in dark mode, and very slightly in light mode. When you’re looking straight at the screen, you honestly stop paying attention to it. Opening the phone I’m still very careful when opening it. I use the bottom of the frame rather than pressing my thumbs against the screen. Knowing there are several thin layers underneath makes me cautious about applying pressure. Touch ID Touch ID feels like a bit of a step backwards for me. I’m so used to Face ID, especially when my hands are dirty or I just want to check a notification without touching the phone. It took some getting used to, but registering several fingers based on how I hold it has helped. Setting up Apple Watch unlocking is another option. Battery life The battery is still brand new, so it’s too early to judge properly. So far, though, it’s holding up very well with my mix of design, development, films, and messaging. We’ll see how that changes over time. Who it’s for If you’re looking for a different experience, love consuming content, and enjoy smaller tablet formats, I think the Duo could be for you. Especially if, like me, you’ve bought an iPad only to leave it sitting on a desk after a few months. The main obstacles are availability and, above all, the price. It definitely doesn’t come cheap.