As an iPhone user for well over 15 years, I bank on a certain familiarity. A foldable iPhone is not something I am used to, and that is exactly why I wanted to check it out, like millions of others. But is the thrill of the unknown big enough to forsake familiarity? This was the question I grappled with as I used the iPhone Duo over the past week.

The moment you hold the Duo, it feels different. This is not my first foldable, nor even my first passport-size one, given that I recently reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Fold 8. Still, this phone feels different. Though it weighs the same as the iPhone 18 Pro Max, the Duo is 25% heavier than the Fold 8. You feel that in your hand, especially since this is a phone you keep opening and closing, if possible with one hand.

The moment I peeled off the packaging, I could see something different. There is no crease to be seen, though the matte screen protector is clearly there, and even more visible at certain angles.…