The iPhone Duo is the first-generation iPhone of its kind, something we haven’t truly been able to say since the iPhone arrived nearly two decades ago.

Yes, screens grew and designs changed over the years. Yet moving from one iPhone to the next has always felt like slipping into that ratty t-shirt with the frayed collar and holes where there shouldn’t be holes. Familiar and comfortable. But the Duo doesn’t feel like that.

I didn’t expect to feel that way. Based on the rumors, I was ready to write the Duo off as an expensive toy. I planned to skip this year’s upgrade and wait for next year’s rumored 20th anniversary iPhone.

Then Apple unveiled the phone, and the opening animation changed my mind. It’s only an animation, but it showed me how much thought and detail went into this device. Apple wasn’t just making a foldable iPhone and calling it a day. There was a sense of wonder and cleverness I couldn’t ignore.

It still costs about $800 more than the iPhone 18 Pro, which starts at $1,199.…