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iPhone Duo - who’s getting one?

It’s right up my alley. I like the form factor of it being the size of a passport, which would be a little easier to pocket than the 18 Pro Max I have (spoiler: bought that instead of waiting for the Duo). The $2500 price tag is steep, but I spend so much time ducking around on my phone, I suppose I can justify it. The biggest non starter for me is I think it’s going to be too fragile. Yes it has the dust/waterproof rating, but I just don’t trust that to survive being in a shop environment during the week. Plus, I don’t see that thing surviving a drop very well. I rarely drop my phone, but when I do I’m glad I’ve got a decent case on it. How do you get a case that can actually protect the Duo (especially the corner where it hinges) and have it still actually fold?

If I can see some real world drop tests of it surviving with the minimal cases that are offered for it, maybe I’ll think about it next year.
 
I have a friend who was a packaging engineer at Google and had the early working prototypes of their folding phone years ago.

The screen looked great and seamless, but the thing was heavy and weird.
 
$2500. For a phone. That you'll replace in two years? Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeell no. I though my Pixel 9 Pro was spending at 800 or whatever I paid, but I'm gonna run that thing into the ground. I think Android tends to be better about keeping software up to date so I expect to be able to get 5 years out of this phone as long as I don't kill it accidentally before that. If I've got $2500 to burn I'll by stuff for my motorcycles.
 
$2500 IS a motorcycle!!


PXL_20260827_205649209.jpg


Or

7200.jpg
 
Evidently it is a flop sales wise so just give it some time for prices to plummet.
 
TheRobSJ said:
It’s right up my alley. I like the form factor of it being the size of a passport, which would be a little easier to pocket than the 18 Pro Max I have (spoiler: bought that instead of waiting for the Duo). The $2500 price tag is steep, but I spend so much time ducking around on my phone, I suppose I can justify it. The biggest non starter for me is I think it’s going to be too fragile. Yes it has the dust/waterproof rating, but I just don’t trust that to survive being in a shop environment during the week. Plus, I don’t see that thing surviving a drop very well. I rarely drop my phone, but when I do I’m glad I’ve got a decent case on it. How do you get a case that can actually protect the Duo (especially the corner where it hinges) and have it still actually fold?

If I can see some real world drop tests of it surviving with the minimal cases that are offered for it, maybe I’ll think about it next year.
Click to expand...
OtterBox has a case that covers the hinge. It looks dumb AF when it's open because theres a huge plastic bump protruding from the back.

Having devices survive in a shop is all too real for me. My Garmin watch screen did not survive doing fab work. My replacement now has this weird case/cover on it, but at least im not scratching it up on tools and chips and what-not.
 
augustiron said:
$2500 IS a motorcycle!!
Click to expand...
Back in the day, I sold my original Macintosh and used the money to by my Hawk GT (it was mostly a down payment).

Best trade i ever made.

I already had my other bike, which I sold to a friend after I bought the Hawk, but the local Honda dealer was having a sale, I actually got to test ride one, and I went back and picked up the Hawk.

I wasn't completely computer free, I had my Model 100 laptop (24K RAM BABY!).

But I didn't buy another computer for, like, 3 years. And I'm a computer guy. But I got my itch scratched doing stuff at work.

The bike was a much better deal.

WRT topic, the Duo is nice, but too much for me. I'm in the process of getting a new Mac Mini. My wife has absconded the iPad, so I'm on my phone for "couch surfing", and as much as I'd like the bigger screen, I think its a bit much to carry around.

I also think switching display modes just sounds really fiddly to me.

I'd love to be able to connect a wirless USB keyboard and plug in a monitor into my phone and use it like a "normal" computer, but we're not there yet, alas.
 
GAJ said:
Evidently it is a flop sales wise so just give it some time for prices to plummet.
Click to expand...
Not sure what you mean. Pre-sale orders don't begin until this Friday but according to the one and only source I personally checked (the Apple rep at Best Buy on Sunday) there is quite a buzz about this new offering.

I'm betting there are plenty of people with the disposable cash to make this a hit.

Edit: just checked the AT&T site who I'm with. They offer 36 interest free monthly payments of $61.12 with 512 GB memory, or if you trade in your old phone it's about half that depending on which iPhone model and it's condition.

Apple similarly offers a 24 month lease plan for $63.80/mo.

Of course the taxes, screen protector and case have to paid up front.

Hmmmmm
 
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berth said:
I'd love to be able to connect a wirless USB keyboard and plug in a monitor into my phone and use it like a "normal" computer, but we're not there yet, alas.
Click to expand...
LOL, Samsung and Motorola had that , 8 or more years ago.

of course, I don't think it was entirely useful ; (I think) people balked at the additional price of the extras, and, because of the limited processing power, it was slow for the phone.

1791928338873.png


I believe the same is still entirely possible right now, just no one does it, for a smartphone... and of course Apple users don't know about it. :D
 
greenmonster said:
Not sure what you mean. Pre-sale orders don't begin until this Friday but according to the one and only source I personally checked (the Apple rep at Best Buy on Sunday) there is quite a buzz about this new offering.

I'm betting there are plenty of people with the disposable cash to make this a hit.
Click to expand...
I guess I assumed it from this story on other recent flops.

 
"Look at our new, state of the art folding screen technology that other brands have already had for years but we charge way more for for no reason!" -Tim Apple, probably
 
  • Haha
Reactions: GAJ
berth said:
Back in the day, I sold my original Macintosh and used the money to by my Hawk GT (it was mostly a down payment).

Best trade i ever made.

I already had my other bike, which I sold to a friend after I bought the Hawk, but the local Honda dealer was having a sale, I actually got to test ride one, and I went back and picked up the Hawk.

I wasn't completely computer free, I had my Model 100 laptop (24K RAM BABY!).

But I didn't buy another computer for, like, 3 years. And I'm a computer guy. But I got my itch scratched doing stuff at work.

The bike was a much better deal.

WRT topic, the Duo is nice, but too much for me. I'm in the process of getting a new Mac Mini. My wife has absconded the iPad, so I'm on my phone for "couch surfing", and as much as I'd like the bigger screen, I think its a bit much to carry around.

I also think switching display modes just sounds really fiddly to me.

I'd love to be able to connect a wirless USB keyboard and plug in a monitor into my phone and use it like a "normal" computer, but we're not there yet, alas.
Click to expand...

You can do this with an iPhone. Bluetooth kbd/mouse work. You need an HDMI dongle for the phone, but then you can plug it into a monitor.

In case you need instructions:
 
BillSmith said:
$2500 for a phone? Even if they gave it to me for free, California, in its infinite wisdom, would tax me on the full retail price.

Which is more than an unlocked Android device. Ha! (See my earlier post.)
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Well, to be clear, the actual price with the least amount of memory is $1999.

But with 512 GB of memory it’s a couple hundred more,
then a couple hundred for taxes,
then the case and screen protector for another hundred or so.

$2500 would be the approximate out the door cost in my estimation - more than double what I’ve ever paid for a phone.
 
GAJ said:
Evidently it is a flop sales wise so just give it some time for prices to plummet.
Click to expand...
It is Apple. They would rather bulldoze them all into a landfill in China than allow their pricepoint to drop.

Their products are all a mediocre rehashing of other companies innovations, Branding is seriously the ONLY thing they have going for them.
 
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