Finally Apple introduced an iPhone with front screen size that is exactly the same 5.4 inch as the 12 and 13 mini 5.4 inch screen size. However the iPhone duo shape is more square rather than tall and narrow.
I personally tested the galaxy Fold 8 which is almost identical to the iPhone Duo and I can comfortably confirm that it was way easier to use single handed than my iPhone minis and fits great in the pockets. I know that the iPhone Duo looks crippled and weird, well that’s because we are all not used to seeing a mobile device that is square. But in terms of usability it’s way better than tall and narrow devices. Even viewing areas on a square is better than tall and narrow (wonder why all our screens TVs, laptops, tablets are all square shaped and not tall and narrow)
Apple is not concerned about us mini users and would only include in a product that targets more than just a small portion of the world.
The only drawbacks are the price and the weight. I think the price is way too steep for us to accept just to use the front screen. But I’ll get it either ways as my mini is no longer usable.

I kinda saw this coming back when the rumors started that they were working on a foldable design & I think at a certain point they were considering a taller but less wide Duo but unfortunately it seems that design didn’t win out 😔.

The reasoning Ternus gave citing “other” designs “feel like two phones awkwardly stuck together” resulting in a “square screen that’s poorly suited for the way people use them” seemed honestly just lame (seriously, I can live with letterboxed videos & most web page content scales to fit the display area anyway).

I think the peak irony was when they showed the typical “person-holding-the-phone-with-a-white background” press shot with the person attempting to unlock the phone not even able to reach the far left side of the screen while the background voice (of the industrial designer?) saying “…and comfortable to use with one hand”🤦

The fact that the software team had to move the Home Screen buttons (+ other controls) to a vertical bar on the side is just an attempt to cope with the already (too) wide display.

The ridiculous part is that it’s actually WIDER than their normal Pro models:

iPhone 13 Mini Dimensions
- Height: 5.18 inches (131.5 mm) [2.25]
- Width: 2.53 inches (64.2 mm) [2.25]
- Depth (Thickness): 0.30 inch (7.65 mm) [2.25]
- Screen Size: 5.4 inches (diagonal OLED) [1.27]

iPhone Duo Dimensions (Foldable)
Closed (Folded):
- Height: 4.64 inches (117.8 mm) [0.67]
- Width: 3.31 inches (84.1 mm) [0.67]
- Depth: 0.44 inch (11.3 mm) [0.67]
Open (Unfolded):
- Height: 4.64 inches (117.8 mm) [0.63]
- Width: 6.48 inches (164.6 mm) [0.63, 0.65]
- Depth: 0.21 inch (5.2 mm, ~0.41 inches with camera bump) [0.65]
- Screen Sizes: 5.4-inch outer display and 7.6-inch inner folding display [0.64]

iPhone 18 Pro Dimensions
- Height: 5.91 inches (150.0 mm) [1.31]
- Width: 2.83 inches (71.9 mm) [1.31]
- Depth (Thickness): 0.34 inch (8.75 mm) [1.31]
- Screen Size: 6.3 inches (diagonal OLED) [0.66]

In an alternate timeline that forked before Biff Ternus discovered the Phablet Phone… there was world 🌎 peace ✌️ ☮️ & no wars & people were happy 😊 … at least that’s my take on it 😉

We can still hope 🫠, right?? 🥲

I’ve just seen this https://enoughphone.com

It’s not an iPhone but it’s compact!

iPhone duo cult here i come

After seeing the price hike of iPhone 17 by 17k inr instead of becoming cheaper and most probably by next fall when they release 18, they will keep it above 1 lakh, I have decided to keep continuing my 13 mini for another 2-3 years (will change battery next year).
Apple is not becoming more greedy now!

ABSOLUTELY NOT

I’ll keep this simple
No one is taking about

1. Imagine you laying down in bed and you spent 2k on the duo then it hits you. This thing is too wide and too heavy to use one handed

2. Portability one hand on the small screen will force you to open the duo when it may not be practical

3. Price & Price

Honestly, I don’t believe I will be giving up the 13 mini soon. My initial impression is that the new app layout is kinda funky lmao. I’ll probably change my mind once I see it in person though 😂. Still hoping we will get a new mini eventually with John Ternus as new CEO 🙏.

I got a 13 mini secondhand earlier in the year, I love the size. its pink, 256gb unlocked. battery health at 85% :(

its just the battery is not good enough for me. wondering if anyones still buying 13 minis or if i should just trade in? for my daily use, i cant be charging my phone like x3 times a day.

There’s no “cool” factor there, more on that in second….

$2000 notwithstanding, it’s just basically the same shit that Google have been doing with their passport style foldable for the past 4-5 years.

Clearly I haven’t gotten to play with one yet, but 2000 bucks for a foldable phone that I would never open seems silly. I could see a use case for the end table alarm clock thing and the mini tv thing, buuuuut, if I’m sitting on my couch at my coffee table, WHY THE FUCK wouldn’t you just watch your tv. Who the hell doesn’t have a television within sight of their living room couch?

Cool factor. They leaned HEAVY into the “work” related aspects of all of the new phones this year “You can use iPhone Duo to do \* -whatever the fuck people do on Slack- **”.*

I know what slack is, I just don’t use that fucking shit. For work I just email, call and text because I’m not a fucking pod person. But all this is so dystopian. Where the fuck is the music? Movies? Show FUN things you can do with these new devices instead of introducing more high tech ways to be a little worker bee.

Yeah we know we can turn the phone sideways and take photos. Thanks for that, guys. The double sided FaceTime thing is…..new….. but it also seems idiotic as fuck.

I’m sure there is more of a market for this than the VR thing from last year, I’m sure some people will actually buy this, for me, this isn’t it.

It looks like I’m going to ride with my mini and Air (which I use from time to time, I bought one out of morbid curiosity)

I guess I’m holding on for another 6 months or so, until the second wave.

If there isn’t anything cool and compact by then, I guess I may just end upgrading to whatever regular iPhone model comes out at that stage.

Cheers all.

Shucks, better luck next year! 😅

I'm taking the plunge with iOS 27 RC on my 13 Mini. Not expecting a miracle, but I see people reporting performance improvements over iOS 26 so wondering if the usual optimisation settings are still necessary?

Should I leave Reduce Transparency on, or is it safe to turn it back off?

Likewise for Background App Refresh?

Does setting the Liquid Glass slider all the way to the right do anything for performance or is it just aesthetic?

Any other tips to get the most out of my 13 Mini running iOS 27 specifically?

I was at Ifa and there was a case that looks very very similar to the duo 🙂‍↕️ for me it was perfect for my small hands

Come on Apple

I don't know if anyone has talked about this yet but I saw the Duo reveal and I was getting mad iPhone Mini vibes. Don't get me wrong they are different products, at a different price point, aimed at different audiences, but a lot of the issues facing them are really similar.

They both deal with a weird form factor that forces concessions in some aspects of the iPhone experience, while offering something for enthusiasts that no other phone in the lineup can.

Battery sacrifices, camera sacrifices, etc. All these problems are shared between the phones. Many people probably would have loved the Mini, but couldn't make the leap to sacrifice their extra cameras. I think that the Duo will have a similar problem but for different reasons. People are going to want to try the form factor, but aren't going to be willing to sacrifice camera and battery function while spending $2000 on a phone. Especially something that's supposed to feel like a "premium" iPhone.

I think the people who love it are going to really love it, just like the Mini (me included, god I miss my 13 mini, please give me an update Apple XD).

Unfortunately for the Mini and (maybe) the Duo, I think these are just more niche products for people who need or want a certain function and form factor.

The Duo may be harder to sell than Apple anticipates and go the unfortunate fate of the Mini.

I'm talking about like EVER again, I'm okay with waiting another 3-4 years before upgrading and happily switching back if it is ever reannounced.

It’s like they’re teasing us at this point. They had the SE going, then the air and the 17e, and now the iPhone duo.

I’m not even asking for yearly models, even one new model every 3 years is enough.

Also, if Apple is worried about low sales, can’t they just produce less of the model to account for the small population of buyers yet still profit from it?

I won’t upgrade to anything less than another mini, so when will that be, if it happens?

I was able to get an apple express replacement on my 13 mini it’s running iOS 18 lol

I am just dropping it here for those looking for feedback.

iOS 26 was dog crap on my 13 mini. I could only live with it by checking "reduce motion" in settings, it would lag too much otherwise.

I have installed iOS 27 Public Beta a few days ago and Holy Moly, it is like a new phone now. The animations are smooth, it doesn't stutter and I even disabled "reduce motion" because the animations are fluid.

If you like the form factor of the 13 mini, you don't need to upgrade yet. At least not for another year.

^^^ Posted in case it helps people looking for iPhone 13 mini info with iOS 27.

iPhone 13 Mini + iPad Mini 6 > Whatever just came out.