{"id":895712,"date":"2026-09-17T20:28:17","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T20:28:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/895712\/"},"modified":"2026-09-17T20:28:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T20:28:17","slug":"hey-apple-can-you-make-half-an-iphone-duo-at-half-the-price","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/895712\/","title":{"rendered":"Hey Apple, Can You Make Half an iPhone Duo at Half the Price?"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve been a longtime fan of small phones<\/a>, and I\u2019m sad that they\u2019re now all but gone<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I remember my iPhone 12 Mini fondly; it was my daily driver until 2024, when the aging battery<\/a> finally convinced me to upgrade. Since the 5.4-inch iPhone Mini<\/a> series had been discontinued, I had no choice but to purchase a 6.1-inch iPhone 16 \u2014 the smallest one available.<\/p>\n

After two years with a 6-inch iPhone<\/a> screen, I\u2019ve mostly gotten used to the larger size<\/a>. But I would love to own a smaller phone again, especially a device that\u2019s easy to use one-handed.<\/p>\n

That brings me to the new iPhone Duo<\/a>. Announced last week<\/a>, Apple\u2019s first folding phone has a 7.6-inch inner display that is only slightly smaller than the 8.3-inch iPad Mini<\/a>. If you want to get work done or play immersive games on a device that still fits in your pocket, this is the iPhone for you<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What interests me most about the iPhone Duo is the outer display. At 5.4 inches, it is coincidentally the exact same size as my old iPhone 12 Mini (albeit with a wider aspect ratio).\u00a0<\/p>\n

It would be the perfect phone for me \u2014 if only it didn\u2019t come with the second screen and $2,000 price tag.<\/p>\n

I like the idea of folding phones<\/a>, and the iPhone Duo looks like the best execution of the concept yet. I love the blur animation when opening and closing the phone, creating the illusion that its outer screen is a transparent window into the inner display. I also think the 7.6-inch screen would be great for watching movies on the go.<\/p>\n

I might be tempted, if I had $2,000 to spare. But that\u2019s a lot of money for a phone that I would still treat as a secondary device to my MacBook<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"The perfect size for a smartphone is 5.4 inches, and you won\u2019t convince me otherwise.Sarah Tew\/CNET<\/p>\n

Maybe if I spent a few weeks with the iPhone Duo, I would start using it for \u201cserious tasks\u201d like editing spreadsheets or comparing plane ticket prices<\/a>. I\u2019m sure there are many scenarios where such a device would be ideal. Still, I don\u2019t think a folding phone will ever fully replace my laptop<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Recently, I pulled my old iPhone 12 Mini out of a closet and updated it to iOS 26. While its battery life was abysmal, I was surprised by how pleasantly the 5.4-inch phone fit in my hand. When I first made the switch to a \u201cstandard\u201d 6-inch iPhone, I had to adapt to its larger screen. But the iPhone Mini still feels like it was custom-made for me.<\/p>\n

Phones are growing too big to reasonably use with one hand, and bigger screens mean more distractions<\/a>. If there were a new 5.4-inch phone with modern features and solid battery life, I would be the first in line. I would even pay $1,000 for it. (The iPhone 12 Mini and 13 mini both debuted at $729, but hey, there\u2019s inflation and RAMageddon<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Apple, if you\u2019re reading this article: Give me half of the iPhone Duo for half the price. I just want a phone that easily fits in my hand and slips into my pocket \u2014 you can save the bigger screens for the iPads.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Jason\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJason Chun is a CNET writer covering a range of topics in tech, home, wellness, finance and streaming services. He is passionate about language and technology, and has been an avid writer\/reader of science fiction for most of his life. He holds a BA from UC Santa Barbara and an MFA from The New School.
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