The Verge debates its iPhone Duo score as Apple’s folding phone goes on sale

The Verge said on October 23 that it gave Apple’s iPhone Duo a 7/10, but its reviewers had not always planned that score and may reassess it over time. The discussion comes as sales of Apple’s first folding phone begin, giving buyers a review judgment that its authors regard as open to change.

Why The Verge is discussing its iPhone Duo score

In a Vergecast discussion, David Pierce and Nilay Patel debate whether the Duo deserved the score it received and how the device might change. The Verge describes assessing the phone as a challenge because it brings a new design to the iPhone.

Launch demand and the software buyers will encounter

Reuters reported that Duo sales began on October 23. Within minutes of pre-orders opening the previous Friday, estimated delivery dates slipped to late January. Apple called the response ‘nothing short of extraordinary,’ according to Reuters, and capped pre-orders at two phones per customer. The company also limited walk-in sales and told Reuters that availability would vary by country, with limited stock in the United States, Australia, Canada, Mexico and much of Britain and Europe.

WIRED found that some third-party apps still displayed thick black bars or broken interface elements on the Duo’s screens. It named Slack, Instagram, DoorDash and WhatsApp among apps optimized for iOS 27.1, while observing that optimization did not always prevent problems. WIRED also reported Apple’s plan to add USB-C Apple Pencil support in a software update later this year.

Launch-day support guidance illustrates another adjustment for buyers. 9to5Mac reported that Apple published documents covering the hinge, Touch ID and cases. Apple’s instructions say a case partly covering the outer display can trigger an option called ‘Shift Left Edge’ to accommodate it. Apple’s user guide also describes using both displays during a FaceTime call.