Apple just made foldable phones harder to ignore by making the first foldable to earn an IP68 water-resistance rating, and that one spec alone sets the iPhone Duo apart from every Galaxy Z Fold that came before it. From the looks of it, the Duo is well designed, has a usable form factor, and, I think, will attract a lot of new users.
But it hits an interesting user niche. It isn’t cheap. If you get a middle version, that is the price of a good laptop, even a MacBook Pro. The Duo seems to bridge the phone and tablet spaces nicely, and those users who use iPads and iPhones interchangeably will be the ones going after the Duo.
I worry, as always, about a first-generation device. Flaws will be uncovered. Extended, real-world usage is a great testing ground. I also worry about durability. Protective cases exist, but I still worry about its fragility. If someone gave me one, I wouldn’t give it back. But for me, the new iPhones feel like a more compelling upgrade, especially if you are a couple of versions behind.