Apple's highly anticipated first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, officially hit global markets on October 23. Positioned as the company's most expensive device to date, pricing starts at a steep $1,999 and scales up to $3,199 for the 2 TB model. However, an exorbitant price tag reportedly does not translate to perfection, as early reviews point out several notable hardware and software compromises.

The rollout began at Apple's Sydney store, where the passport-shaped device first became available. Although demand was allegedly high, strict supply constraints meant that the notorious sprawling queues outside retail stores worldwide were largely absent this time around. According to Reuters, pre-orders opened on October 16 and were swiftly backlogged, with delivery dates pushed well into late January within minutes of launch.

The launch serves as a crucial test for the Western tech establishment, as rivals like Samsung and Huawei have dominated the foldable market for years. Industry observers question whether the European-market-driven approach can disrupt this niche. Furthermore, the Duo represents the inaugural stress test for Chief Executive Officer John Ternus, who purportedly assumed leadership on September 1.

Technology publication Wired has outlined key caveats consumers should consider before purchasing. First, applications remain poorly optimized; navigation elements on the 5.4-inch outer and 7.6-inch inner displays are awkwardly shifted, forcing many third-party apps to open within narrow strips framed by black borders. Additionally, the device lacks Face ID, relying instead on a side-mounted Touch ID fingerprint scanner—a design choice analysts attribute to spatial constraints within the ultra-thin chassis.

Source: kun.uz