Apple's iPhone Duo Challenges the Pro Max Status Quo
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
A hands-on trial of the experimental $2,000 Duo reveals that extreme screen real estate may be less vital than portability.
As TechCrunch first reported, a reporter recently tested the new iPhone Duo during a five-day vacation, carrying the device alongside an iPhone 17 Pro Max as a safety net. Despite the Duo's $2,000 price tag and a "short, squat" design that differs significantly from the Pro Max's thin rectangular shape, the reviewer found the experimental device more appealing by the end of the trip.
While the iPhone 17 Pro Max offers more screen real estate, the Duo proved its utility through portability, fitting comfortably in front and back pockets. The reviewer noted the device's durability, surviving multiple accidental drops on wood, tile, and concrete, as well as being sat upon repeatedly.
However, the transition highlighted several functional hurdles. TechCrunch reported that the Duo lacks Face ID, returning instead to Touch ID, which the author described as cumbersome for Apple Pay and app authentication. Software optimization also posed a challenge; some apps featured "telltale black bars" on the sides and unoptimized layouts that hid features in "more" menus. Additionally, the reviewer experienced repeated freezes with the Google Search app's AI Mode.
Despite these frustrations and the initial "psychological switching cost" of leaving a high-end model, the reviewer concluded they did not want to return to the iPhone 17 Pro Max after the trip.