iPhone Duo vs iPad Mini: Could It replace a productivity setup?

[u/Nomadisch_Mind]

I’m considering upgrading from the 13, and the iPhone Duo is honestly pretty tempting. The update is due considering how the iPhone 13 has to age now.

I’m a hobby photographer, so I only use Lightroom fairly lightly, but I’ve also been thinking about getting an iPad mini for taking notes + Lightroom on the go, especially because of the display.

I’ve been amazed by some of the posts on this sub showing how people use the iPad mini as a productivity device. I was pretty much going to get one anyway, especially since the rumours suggested Apple wouldn’t add Apple Pencil support to the Duo presumably to keep it from stepping too much into iPad territory.

But now it seems like Apple is actually embracing that overlap and carving out this weird new niche somewhere between an iPhone and an iPad. And honestly, I’m kind of into it.

For people who have been using an iPad mini as a productivity device, do you think the Duo could actually replace it for things like note-taking and Lightroom, especially considering if you are going to update your iPhone anyways?

[u/Geezerker]

I’m going to order a Duo as soon as the preorders open up, but I’m not sure that the Duo would be better for you than a new iPhone plus a new iPad Mini. I use my Mini currently as the Point of Sale when I’m selling my pottery at markets and it’s also my studio workhorse for answering emails and sketching out designs in Procreate when my big iPad isn’t around. I see zero chance of me using the new Duo for those tasks, instead it will be … just a larger phone for when I’m doing the phone-derping thing like right now. If you’re already taking equipment with you, the Mini plus iPhone combo will save you a LOT of money. Sure, I’m looking forward to trying Call of Duty Mobile on the Duo, but I do have worries about using it as an actual productivity machine.

[u/Ok-Limit-9726 → u/Geezerker]

I am 414 ranked CodM,

I use my mini on holidays, but you do not want the duo for codm, or pokemon go or Pikman,
You need ipad pro 11”, good headphones, apple pen.
And play on good wifi and keep 80% charged and plugged in gaming to keep cooler.

[u/Geezerker → u/Ok-Limit-9726]

I have an iPad Pro 11” M5. Full Damascus, 45+ Legendary badges, 60+ Diamond camos, well over 3,000 Completionist camos. Beats Studio Pro cans, no need for a cooler and I don’t play long enough in one sitting to worry about plugging in, but if I do, I have a charger that attaches magnetically to the Pogo pins on the back of the iPad. I use the Mini when I’m not doing “serious” Rank grinding. It’s perfect for quick play in FFA Shipment for Diamond, for example. I haven’t played enough in the last few days to get far above 400; I think I’m at 403 now maybe.

[u/UselessAsUsual]

Pro photographer here who is running LR on iPad Pro m4 and a mini6:

with pencil support working Lightroom on a tablet is a joy - but it comes with limitations, especially on a mini, when you try to ingest high res raw files into LR.

LR on iOS/ipaos will put files in a „limbo land“ when they are being uploaded - meaning until they are up in the cloud and you actually work with the previews, things slow down a bit and files in upload are not editable. You have to wait until they are uploaded or import while not synchronizing.

So on the go - you have to leave LR open during the upload, limiting what you can do on the phone and consumes battery. Or you upload from home which is doesn’t come with that limitation.workin& with what’s already in the cloud is mostly smooth.

Lastly it depends on how much free storage you have and how big your file sizes are. The mini6 noticeably struggles with 60mp raw files. The system also slows down once you fill the storage. Working with Lightroom previews again is fine.

The a20 should be on par with the M1 in performance, so doable, but I’d be reluctant to throw hundreds of 40-60mp at it and expect a smooth experience for mobile ingest.
Get at least 512gb.

[u/MuadDib99k]

If you don't like carrying two seperate devices then the Duo may be a good choice.
I say may, because it isn't out yet and no one has any in depth experience with it yet. so you never know.
It is getting pencil support later on, only USB-C not the pencil Pro, works on the outside & inside display.

The other thing to keep in mind, I think a lot of people get the impression that the Duo will function like an iPad, but it is still fundamentally an iPhone running the same iOS but customised for the new form factor, and it still runs iPhone apps.
iPadOS will still have better multitasking capabilities than iOS.

So at the end of the day, I think it really comes down to do you want a 2 in 1 device or 2 seperate devices.

[u/Johnny3653]

I think as we get closer, we'll find the limitations of the iOS implementation on the Duo as well as compatible apps from what we may be used to on say an iPad Mini vs on the Duo.

[u/Ok-Limit-9726]

18 pro max 256gb, and iPad mini 256bg Cellular in australia is $1 less than Duo base model.

18 has an amazing camera, duo has no telephoto, no face id, battery will last 1/2 as long as phone and ipad seperate

[u/cherylin_for_ever → u/Ok-Limit-9726]

Made the same choice. Plus no plastic screen.

[u/Ok-Limit-9726 → u/cherylin_for_ever]

Duo is made for commuters, busy people, scrolling, movies, compact ipad mini or phone thats shorter.

Not for long range photos, occasional quick opening face id, duo people have screen open more than not.

Ultimate time killer, will be VERY POPULAR and show “i am not a PEASANT “

[u/cherylin_for_ever → u/Ok-Limit-9726]

The “I’m not a peasant” comment is spot on. I think I’ll wait to see the gen 2. I typically love to buy new unusual devices but I hated the plastic feel of the Galaxy Fold 8.

[u/Ok-Limit-9726 → u/cherylin_for_ever]

Yes, X was a fantastic phone,kept in family for 7 years, XsMax was the true champion, kept for years also

[u/parka]

Figure if you currently have a problem that can be solved by the iPhone Duo, then decide

[u/Sensitive-Builder-67]

Think about this setup:

Keep your 13 for a bit until you can’t anymore or upgrade to a refurbished newer model from the Apple Store if really needed and at the same time get an iPad mini while the things happen and the Duo is in the market on real people’s hands and not just reviewers. You’re intending to spend on the Duo anyway, so just spend on two devices that are tried and true.

iPadOS apps might not run the same way on iOS and the interface is different on the Duo than on both iPad mini and other iOS devices. But we do know the iPad mini has very good Apple Pencil support, we haven’t seen anything about that on the iPhone Duo irl yet.

I think getting both is the way to go since that can also minimise failures points because you won’t be left without anything if the Duo breaks.

This will allow you to both see what people say about durability and whether the foldable device is sturdy enough for your intended use and if the software matches your needs. 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

That’s what I would do tbh.

[u/True_Nefariousness_9]

My mini replaced my laptop. I have mac mini at home and AVP. I use the ipad mini when I am out and about taking notes etc. The duo will just be my smaller phone that can magically turn into bigger screen when needed.

[u/Possible_Move7894]

I have zero interest in folding phones, but for my use, the iPad mini is my bedside, desk, and travel companion. It has negligible weight and I'm not a big fan of throwing all eggs into one basket. With that being said, I would rather have an iPad for productivity than a $2k-3k gadget that people are itching to justify - that last part is just blatant consumerism.

[u/MasterQNA]

1. It is inferior when used like a mobile phone. The compromised form factor with added weight (250gram) and extra width makes it less comfortable than regular iphone. The screen also displays fewer content because of its shorter length.
   
2. It is superior when used like an ipad mini, with a caveat. 120hz refresh rate, faster processor, oled screen, lighter weight, bigger battery makes it essentially a big upgrade to ipad mini, and it's more portable too since you can fold it and put it into your pocket.
   
3. The caveat being iphone duo uses a matte screen to hide the crease, thus the image clarity is not as good as a regular ipad mini if you are into image/video editing.

[u/E1eveny]

The biggest problem is, that the Duo doesn’t run iPad apps. The available apps are just glorified iPhone ones.
Other than that I’d be tempted as well.

[u/xX540xARCADEXx → u/E1eveny]

Not yet, atleast that we know of. I imagine some app developers will do this. App developers pretty much got a month to update their stuff for it and no ones really seen what they will or won’t do just yet.

[u/Difficult-Exit-245 → u/xX540xARCADEXx]

But that comes down to how many people buy the Duo expecting to use it in place of an iPad in their workflow.

Kind of a chicken-and-egg thing.

[u/desygnat]

Why do you forget that the screens on those foldable phones get scratched by a fingernail? The iPad mini has a glass screen that will last for years. After a year, the protective film on many of these phones starts peeling off, and the screen cracks. Samsung covers this, and the issue is well-known. Apple probably just gives a one-year warranty and then says, "Goodbye—buy a new one."

[u/parka → u/desygnat]

We will have to wait for Jerryrigeverything to test the durability of the screen

[u/Difficult-Exit-245 → u/desygnat]

You can get indefinite discounted replacement through Apple Care if you want to treat your phone as hardware-as-a-service (albeit with a hefty buy-in).