iPhone Duo Reviews Land Today. Here's What to Look Out For

The first proper reviews of iPhone Duo are due to go live later today, two days before the first deliveries arrive on Friday, and I'm really looking forward to this one. Apple sends review units to journalists and YouTubers a week or so early on the condition that nobody publishes until a set moment, which is called an embargo, and when it lifts everything tends to appear at once. For a phone this new, and this expensive, it's the first chance most of us will get to hear what it's actually like to live with.

When the reviews land

Apple doesn't announce the time, so nothing is confirmed. Forbes points out that Apple's review embargoes usually lift at the same time of day that pre-orders opened, and for the Duo that was 1pm UK time, so early afternoon is a good bet. Keep an eye on YouTube and the big tech sites from lunchtime onwards.

Why these reviews matter more than usual

Most new iPhones are a familiar phone with better parts, so the reviews mostly confirm what you'd expect. The Duo is different. It's Apple's first folding iPhone, it starts at £1,999 and goes up to £3,199 for 2TB, and it has sold out until late January, so very few people will get to try one in a shop before deciding. That puts a lot of weight on what reviewers say, and on whether they've found anything Apple's own presentation didn't mention.

The creators I'll be watching

It'll be really interesting to hear what the big tech creators make of it. If past launches are anything to go by, the usual names will be among the first, people like Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), Arun Maini of Mrwhosetheboss, who's based here in the UK, and iJustine, along with written reviews from The Verge, The Wall Street Journal, TechRadar and Tom's Guide. Apple doesn't say who has a review unit, so treat that as an educated guess rather than a list, but those are good places to start.

What to look out for in the reviews

Here's what I'd pay attention to, because these are the things you can't judge from Apple's own photos and videos.

• The crease. Apple says the inner screen's nano-texture finish minimises how visible the fold is, and "minimises" is the key word. Watch for how it looks in daylight and under room lights, and whether reviewers stop noticing it after a few days.
• Battery life in real use. Apple quotes up to 44 hours of video on the outer screen, 31 hours on the inner one and 24 hours if you use both. Those are lab figures, so it's worth hearing how it lasts when someone uses it as their only phone.
• How it feels to carry. Closed, it's 84.1mm wide, which is wider than any iPhone before it, and it weighs 254g, which is 5g more than the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Reviews should give a good sense of whether it sits comfortably in a pocket and a hand.
• Touch ID instead of Face ID. Unlocking moves to a sensor in the side button. Listen out for whether that feels natural quickly, especially from people who've used Face ID for years.
• The cameras. It has a 48MP main and a 48MP ultra wide, with a 2x option built into the main camera rather than the separate longer telephoto on the Pro models. Comparisons with the iPhone 18 Pro will show what, if anything, you give up.
• The software. Apple has reworked iOS for the Duo, including Split View for two apps side by side. Reviewers will find out which apps already make good use of the big inner screen and which still look stretched.
• The hinge. It has more than 100 components and the Duo carries the same IP68 water and dust rating as the rest of the range. A week of testing can't tell you how it holds up over years, but first impressions of how it opens and closes still count for a lot.

If you've ordered one, or you're still deciding

If your order is in for Friday, the reviews are a good way to find out what to expect and which settings people recommend changing first. If you haven't ordered, there's no rush at all, because new orders won't arrive until late January anyway. Read and watch a few reviews, and if it still appeals, join the queue knowing more than anyone who ordered on day one. If it doesn't, the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max are in stock now, and my buyer's guide puts all three side by side.

I'll pull together the main verdicts once they're out. In the meantime, my iPhone Duo explainer covers what it is and what it costs, and if you've got a question about it, iHelp AI can answer it any time, or you can book a session and we'll talk it through, including getting a new Duo set up when it arrives.

Alex