Renowned technology reviewer Marques Brownlee, widely known as MKBHD, has shared his final verdict on Apple's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, after using the device as his primary handset for more than two weeks. Speaking on his "Waveform" podcast, Brownlee revealed that while the foldable hardware is impressive engineering, he ultimately returned to the iPhone 18 Pro for his everyday productivity needs.
Brownlee has built one of the most influential technology channels on YouTube, serving as a primary destination for consumer electronic reviews, deep dives, and industry analysis. With over a decade of hands-on experience reviewing flagship devices across ecosystems, his evaluation of major product launches often carries significant weight among both consumers and tech enthusiasts. Apple's release of the iPhone Duo marked one of the company's biggest hardware departures in years, introducing dual-screen foldable functionality to its lineup.
In his detailed assessment, Brownlee pointed out specific trade-offs inherent to the current foldable design. While acknowledging the utility of the expandable display for reading, multitasking, and media consumption, he emphasized that hardware compromises in critical daily features influenced his choice. Specifically, the lack of a dedicated telephoto camera lens, the absence of facial recognition authentication, and a slightly bulkier form factor made the standard flagship model more suitable for high-volume photography and video workflows.
Brownlee concluded that while the foldable form factor represents a compelling direction for future mobile devices, refined iterations will be necessary before it completely replaces traditional high-end flagships for power users. His review underscores an ongoing industry dialogue surrounding user experience versus novel hardware design, as tech manufacturers balance innovation with core feature sets.
