The iPhone Duo is officially available to pre-order, and that means we're one step closer to experiencing Apple's first foldable for ourselves. The fact that Apple is jumping into the world of foldable phones is a big deal, and it's practically guaranteed that other foldable phone makers will be watching the iPhone Duo with great interest.

By which I mean they're going to be looking for ways they can copy Apple and enhance their own foldable offerings. Phone development often seems like a cycle of companies constantly taking existing ideas and adapting them for their own devices. Apple does it, and in turn the iPhone's popularity means it's a popular target for plagiarists. Which has led to a shocking number of Android phones that feel like they're running a bootleg copy of iOS.

Needless to say, there are definitely some aspects of the iPhone Duo that will make their way to the foldables of the future. That's not necessarily a bad thing either, and here are the seven ways iPhone Duo could end up changing foldable phones for the better.

More wider foldables

We've already seen an influx of wider foldables ahead of the iPhone Duo's launch, and at least one wider non-folding phone, and that trend is likely to continue going forward. The last several years have seen phone companies tell us that bigger is better, but when it comes to foldables that might not necessarily be the case.

As we discovered with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, the passport-like design feels a lot better than the taller, book-ish shape of the Z Fold 8 Ultra. The slightly more compact nature of the phone also makes it more portable, and simpler to pull out and use — which has always been a point of contention with previous foldables. So, if foldable phone makers double down on using a similar design to iPhone Duo, I certainly won't be complaining.

Stylus support

The loss of stylus support on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is something that Samsung foldable fans have been complaining about ever since — and I'm on their side. I'm a big proponent of the fact that tablets work best when you're able to use some sort of stylus alongside the touchscreen. Apple clearly recognized that with the iPhone Duo, and I suspect that Samsung (and others) will figure that out pretty quickly.

So far the only other foldables that offer stylus support are the Motorola Razr Fold and the Oppo Find N series — both of which have their own specialized foldable-friendly stylii. But since iPhone Duo supports the same Apple Pencil (USB-C) as most recent iPads, I wouldn't be surprised if future foldables supported a stylus that also works with other devices.

More under display cameras

Again, this is something that Samsung pulled with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, though in this instance I wasn't really mad about it. Under-display cameras don't have a good reputation for quality, and the fact Apple has emphasized that its own option is strictly for use with FaceTime and video calling apps suggests it hasn't found a way to deal with that yet.

If Apple keeps the camera limited to video calls, where quality is less of an issue compared to taking photos, then it might not be such a bad feature to have. It certainly doesn't take much away from the inner screen after all. And considering other phone companies have dabbled with under-display cameras in the past, this may well prompt them to try again — though there may be some guardrails.

After all, having video calls on a larger screen makes sense, but there's only so many ways you need to be able to take photos with your phone.

New foldable screen designs

There have been no shortage of attempts to eliminate the crease running down the center of a foldable phone's display, and that work will no doubt continue regardless of Apple's thoughts on the topic. However, the way Apple has designed its screens could lead to some changes elsewhere.

Most notably, Apple has utilized a "nano-texture" coating on the Duo's large display, which is designed to minimise glare, and offers a matte surface in contrast to the typical glossy phone screens we're used to. That screen is also built to be more durable and scratch-resistant, which is always a fear I have with foldable screens. It's different to the point that this could be something we see adopted elsewhere, even if non-folding phones retain the same designs they always do.

Better durability

Apple didn't invent the IP68-rated foldable, but there are too many companies like Samsung that still disregard dust resistance. On top of that, Apple seems to have done a lot to bolster the durability of its first foldable, offering materials and design choices that we don't see on ordinary iPhones anymore.

The nano-texture coating on the foldable display is one prominent example, since it's designed to improve scratch resistance and ensure the normally fragile screen is as well-protected as it can be. The frame is likewise made of titanium, a material that phone companies have dabbled with in the past but quickly dropped — likely over cost concerns.

I have a suspicion that we will be seeing an influx of titanium designs and other durability enhancements in the near future. Which I definitely will not complain about.

Vapor chamber cooling

Vapor chambers have been showing up more and more in recent years, especially in high performance phones like Samsung's Galaxy S series and Apple's iPhones. Performance makes heat, and vapor chambers help disperse that heat to keep the phones performing better for longer.

Sadly foldable phones didn't get that memo, so phones like the Z Fold 8 have the same performance capabilities and no way to move the generated heat around. iPhone Duo does not fall into that trap, and Apple even added hardware to help heat traverse the central hinge and radiate away more safely. That means the performance benchmarks could be a lot better than we're used to on other dual-screen devices.

It's not all down to the vapor chamber, and the sheer power of the A20 Pro will be doing a lot of heavy lifting. But since every little helps, it's likely that Apple's rivals will be considering throwing in their own vapor chambers on future models.

Magnetic wireless charging

Apple popularized magnetic wireless charging with MagSafe, but even when a standardized option became available for Android phone makers, very few of them actually bothered to sign on. Instead they pointed customers to special magnetic cases.

There was speculation as to whether the iPhone Duo would support MagSafe or not, but now we know it does even if the size of the Duo makes certain accessories attach a little awkwardly. Google, obviously, already supports Qi2 magnetic charging, but the other foldables out there? Not so much, and we've never really had a good excuse as to why.

Here's hoping that changes, though I will admit this might be more wishful thinking. After all, magnetic wireless charging has struggled to gain traction in recent years, despite the previous years of Apple support. So phone makers aren't always willing to copy everything.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Duo: Here’s why an iPhone 18 Pro Max and MacBook Neo combo is the better buy
• iPhone Duo modes explained — 6 ways you can use Apple's new foldable
• iPhone Duo Geekbench scores leak, and Apple's foldable is about to leave Android rivals in the dust

So far, I’ve pitted the iPhone 18 Pro Max against some of its fiercest rivals — like the Galaxy S26 Ultra. But I’ve also put it to the test against its predecessors, like the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro Max, to see what major improvements the latest model actually delivers.

This time, I’m going further back to pit the iPhone 18 Pro Max against the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Clearly, a four-year gap gives the 18 Pro Max a major advantage, but if my past face-offs are any indication, there are always surprises that make me rethink when it's truly time to upgrade.

I’ll break down side-by-side camera samples, battery life runtimes, and benchmark scores so you can determine if it’s worth the jump. Because honestly, given the current state of flagship phone prices, I could easily see someone holding onto their phone for five full years.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Cameras

To see the biggest impact of that four-year gap, look no further than camera performance. On paper, the iPhone 18 Pro Max clearly packs the superior setup: a 48MP triple-camera system headlined by a mechanical variable aperture on the main lens and a 48MP telephoto shooter with 4x optical zoom. Other notable hardware upgrades include a brighter f/1.48 maximum aperture on the primary sensor and a wider field of view from the upgraded 18MP Center Stage selfie camera.

The upgrades aren't just limited to hardware. The shooting experience on the iPhone 18 Pro Max is significantly elevated by new Pro Controls, offering granular manual control over settings like shutter speed, focus, and white balance. On the video front, the iPhone 18 Pro Max pulls well ahead with native 4K 120fps recording, Log capture, ProRes, Cinematic mode, Audio Mix, and smart focus tracking.

Look closely at the side-by-side low-light samples above, and a clear pattern emerges. Considering its four-year-old hardware, the iPhone 14 Pro Max still holds up reasonably well.

However, the iPhone 18 Pro Max’s wider aperture and updated optics clearly give it the edge — delivering sharper detail, better-exposed shadows, and noticeably cleaner results with far less noise.

Zoom is another area where the iPhone 18 Pro Max holds an inherent hardware advantage: it packs a 48MP telephoto camera with 4x optical zoom versus the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s older 12MP sensor with 3x optical zoom. For the comparison above, I captured test shots at 4x, 8x, and 15x to highlight the differences across the range.

At 4x zoom, it’s tough to spot a clear winner from the overall frame, but cropping in reveals sharper edge definition around the statue with the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Pushing to 8x zoom, the textures on the surrounding stone blocks are noticeably crisper on the 18 Pro Max as well. And finally, at 15x zoom, that advantage becomes unmistakable. While the iPhone 18 Pro Max takes the win across the focal range, the zoom gap isn't quite as dramatic as the disparity in low-light performance.

What about other shooting conditions? The differences are mostly minor, proving that the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s main camera is still a solid performer that consistently delivers excellent results. You can see in several of the side-by-side shots above how closely it matches the iPhone 18 Pro Max in dynamic range and color reproduction.

That said, here are a few other takeaways worth noting:

• Ultrawide detail: The iPhone 18 Pro Max captures slightly finer detail and crisper edges with its ultrawide shooter.
• Macro mode: While close-up shots look sharp on both, the iPhone 14 Pro Max suffers from more visible noise and grain.
• Selfies: The iPhone 18 Pro Max’s updated 18MP Center Stage camera offers a noticeably wider field of view, making it far better suited for group shots.

Just like in my previous face-offs against older flagships, the iPhone 14 Pro Max proves it's still a capable everyday shooter. However, there are simply too many compelling reasons to justify jumping to the iPhone 18 Pro Max. I’m not just talking about its massive leap in low-light photography—it’s the mechanical variable aperture, granular Pro Controls, and versatile video suite that ultimately seal the deal.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Specifications

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Battery and charging

Due to its larger footprint, the iPhone 18 Pro Max packs a larger 5,391 mAh battery — a massive increase over the 4,323 mAh cell inside the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

In our battery drain test, the iPhone 18 Pro Max turned in an average endurance time of 18 hours and 27 minutes. By comparison, the iPhone 14 Pro Max fell short at 13 hours and 39 minutes. That’s a difference of 4 hours and 48 minutes, or roughly a 35% improvement in battery life. Don’t get me wrong: the iPhone 14 Pro Max can still easily clear a normal workday, but the 18 Pro Max’s extra endurance means plenty of gas left in the tank for the commute home and late into the night.

Another compelling reason to make the jump is the significantly faster charging. Thanks to upgraded 60W wired charging support, the iPhone 18 Pro Max reaches an impressive 53% in just 15 minutes and hits 80% after 30 minutes. Over the exact same intervals, the iPhone 14 Pro Max crawled to just 21% and 42%.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Performance

I almost forgot about Apple’s "Bionic" branding until I pulled up the benchmark results for the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but the numbers offer concrete proof of the massive generational leap you get with the 18 Pro Max. Four years is an eternity in the phone arena, and it definitely shows in this face-off.

Apple’s bleeding-edge A20 Pro chip powering the iPhone 18 Pro Max makes daily navigation feel buttery smooth, but our synthetic benchmark tests truly drive home the divide. On Geekbench, the iPhone 18 Pro Max pulled in single-core and multi-core scores of 4,741 and 12,789, respectively — easily eclipsing the 1,887 and 5,374 turned in by the 14 Pro Max. If you thought single-core gains from recent generations were impressive, the massive 151% increase here puts the gap in perspective.

If that’s not enough to convince iPhone 14 Pro Max owners, the graphics testing shows an even wider chasm. Running 3DMark Wild Life Original Unlimited, the iPhone 18 Pro Max averaged an astonishing 230.37 fps with an overall score of 38,474. Those results leave the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s 74.1 fps and 12,380 score looking closer to today's budget handsets.

To be fair, the iPhone 14 Pro Max still handles everyday tasks effortlessly — like browsing the web, scrolling social feeds, and streaming video. But for demanding workflows like rendering 4K video or running graphically intense 3D games, the iPhone 18 Pro Max simply leaves its predecessor in the dust.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Software and AI

Even though both phones run iOS 27, the iPhone 18 Pro Max exclusively delivers Apple's newest and most powerful intelligence features — and alone, they make a compelling case for an upgrade.

It all boils down to Apple Intelligence and Siri AI. Because the iPhone 14 Pro Max is limited to the older A16 Bionic chip and 6GB of RAM, it doesn’t make the cut for Apple’s AI-powered suite. That means missing out on everyday features I rely on with the iPhone 18 Pro Max: Writing Tools to refine drafts, the Clean Up tool in Photos to erase photobombers, prioritized notification summaries, Visual Intelligence, and newer ones like Reframe.

Siri AI represents another massive generational leap. The assistant is far more context-aware and capable of executing complex cross-app actions. In CarPlay, for instance, I regularly use Siri AI to dictate new notes on the road and add updates to existing lists all while being hands-free. On the iPhone 14 Pro Max, you’re stuck with legacy Siri, and even a brief conversation highlights just how much more natural and conversational Siri AI has become.

On top of that, the iPhone 18 Pro Max takes full advantage of iOS 27’s redesigned, slimmer Dynamic Island, supporting up to three simultaneous Live Activities compared to just two on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Displays

There’s only a modest increase in physical footprint between these two flagships, but Apple elevates the screen on the iPhone 18 Pro Max with meaningful upgrades. Not only does it pack a more expansive 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR display — up from the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch panel — but the bezels around the glass are noticeably slimmer, framing an unobtrusive, smaller Dynamic Island.

Personally, I find the iPhone 14 Pro Max plenty capable for everyday use, but it simply can't match the superior outdoor visibility of the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Thanks to a measured peak brightness of 2,326 nits, the newer panel delivers a massive 49% boost over the 1,565-nit peak we recorded on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Coupled with its anti-reflective coating, looking at the iPhone 18 Pro Max’s screen leaves no doubt that it’s a genuine generational leap forward.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Verdict

I wasn’t thrilled to see a $100 price hike on this year’s flagship, pushing the iPhone 18 Pro Max to $1,299 for its 256GB base configuration. That means it costs $200 more than what iPhone 14 Pro Max owners shelled out four years ago. Interestingly enough, that older model started with just 128GB of base storage.

If you’ve held onto the iPhone 14 Pro Max for the past four years, you’ve gotten incredible mileage out of your investment. But there’s a huge incentive to take the leap, even with that steeper barrier to entry. Simply put, the iPhone 18 Pro Max doesn't just edge past the 14 Pro Max — it decisively dominates across every category.

Is it finally time to upgrade? Absolutely.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested the iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max side-by-side: Should you upgrade?
• 9 new movies and shows to stream this weekend on Netflix, HBO Max and more (Oct. 2-4)
• 4 ways Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 beats Apple iPhone Duo

It's safe to say that the iPhone 18 Pro Max is proving quite popular. At the time of writing, delivery estimates for the cheapest model are two to three weeks away — compared to one to two weeks for the iPhone 18 Pro. However the popularity seems to pale in comparison to iPhone Duo, whose delivery estimates were pushed into next year after only an hour of pre-orders being open.

My iPhone 18 Pro Max arrived yesterday, after almost a month of waiting for Apple to actually dispatch the thing. The problem was that as soon as it was set up, my mind was immediately stumped on what I should be doing with it. More so after I'd played with the variable aperture, and watched the blades move over the camera lens.

In contrast the iPhone Duo is something that a lot of people are eagerly anticipating, even if you're accepting some compromises in the process. Why? Because it's something brand new that Apple has never done before, even if the first foldable phones are now old enough to be in second grade.

What does the iPhone 18 Pro Max actually have to offer?

I know that on a technical level the iPhone 18 Pro Max is a better phone than the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Our testing shows that the A20 Pro chip makes it significantly more powerful, and the battery life is half an hour longer than you'd get on last year's flagship. Charging time is noticeably faster too, aided by the speedier 60W wired charging capabilities.

But those aren't the kind of upgrades you can consciously feel. They make the overall experience of using the iPhone 18 Pro Max better, even if you don't actually notice what's going on, but they aren't the kind of things that make you physically excited to hold and enjoy the phone for yourself.

Those gears didn't actually shift into place until I held the iPhone 18 Pro Max in my hand, and I felt like the aquarium fish at the very end of Finding Nemo. I have an iPhone 17 Pro Max already, and aside from some obvious difference in the weight of the two phones (8.78 ounces versus 8.22 ounces) I couldn't really differentiate the two phones.

I tinkered with the variable aperture camera system, and it was rather fun to watch the blades move across the lens the way that they do. But that is an activity that gets old very quickly, and once you've exhausted what little enjoyment that brings, the reality sets in that upgrading your phone every year is rather a pointless endeavour.

Apple may have made some significant improvements to the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and added the fancy new camera features, but it doesn't change the fact that this feels more like an iPhone 17S than an iPhone 18 Pro. It makes the 18 Pro Max feel like another iteration of the same old things, and the honest truth is that it's an extremely boring upgrade. To the point that it barely feels like an upgrade at all.

I'll admit that the software changes do play a big impact in what the 18 Pro Max can do. But when you remember that iOS 27 is not exclusive to the newest iPhones, and has been available on older models for a good few weeks (or months if you downloaded the beta), it isn't really a selling point.

The iPhone Duo, on the other hand, is a totally new kind of device that Apple has never made before. Sure, it's not going to impress foldable phone enthusiasts for the same reason the iPhone 18 Pro Max isn't impressing me now. But for those people that have never left the Apple ecosystem before, it's a totally novel kind of device.

iPhone Duo has change that you can feel and experience in your hands

You only need to look at the iPhone Duo to know that it's going to offer a very different user experience than the iPhone 18 Pro Max. It's a foldable phone that opens up to reveal a large tablet-sized display that is noticeably larger than that on a traditional phone.

A whole new form factor and method of operation means that the iPhone Duo is something that you're going to have to get to grips with. Even if you have extensively used foldable phones in the past, the fact that this is a foldable iPhone means it's going to offer a slightly different experience to that of an Android model. Both in terms of the software side of things and how Apple actually makes the foldable experience work compared to the likes of Samsung or Google.

Heck, the fact that Apple has tweaked the UI to put a taskbar on the side of the iPhone Duo means that every user will need to spend some amount of time acclimatizing to the new way of doing things.

The iPhone Duo goes beyond just being a foldable iPhone too. Apple seems to have put a lot of effort into making it something different and unique compared to its usual yearly releases. The use of titanium means it's more durable than the the last two Pro Max iPhones, and under-display camera is a feature that we don't really see on phones anymore.

Even if Apple doesn't solve the myriad of problems hidden cameras have, it's something different that users can experience. Plus it means you have an uninterrupted display, which is not something you see very much of anymore.

Apple has made something different with the iPhone Duo, and expensive as it may be, it's offering something that most iPhone owners haven't been able to experience before now. In a world where new phones have been feeling increasingly boring and barely different from what came before, that's a very desirable trait to have.

Whether Apple can maintain that excitement with future foldable iPhones is unclear, though I suspect that people will lose that sense of excitement very quickly. After all, all other foldables have just become part of the annual release cycle, and there will be a point where the iPhone Duo falls in line with them.

Bottom line

Phone launches have been dull and stale for a long time now. As much as the companies behind them try to drum up excitement and act as though what they're offering is revolutionary, the truth is that 90% of the time they're not. Even new kinds of phone can get old very quickly, especially when you have a release as spectacularly bad as that of the original Samsung Galaxy Fold.

I've never picked up a new phone and struggled to know what to do with it, though. It's not a fun experience to hold a $1,200 phone and wonder what the point of it all is — which makes a very strong argument against upgrading your old handsets too quickly. Though at the same time, I have to wonder whether the impending iPhone Duo release is affecting things. Both in terms of user attitudes, and the resources Apple put into developing its new phone lines.

You can feel the anticipation for the iPhone Duo right now, and the fact that the delivery estimates were pushed back to 2027 suggests that demand is likely much higher than Apple actually anticipated. That's not something you see every year, and it's nice that people can actually be genuinely excited for a brand new phone. It's just a shame that the iPhone 18 Pro Max feels like such a nothingburger.

More from Tom's Guide

• I track deals for a living and here's the best iPhone Duo preorder I've seen
• iPhone Duo Geekbench scores leak, and Apple's foldable is about to leave Android rivals in the dust
• iPhone Duo modes explained — 6 ways you can use Apple's new foldable

Apple's first foldable, the iPhone Duo, is officially available for pre-order in Australia, and if you're keen to get your hands on one, I've got your back.

The handset is available for pre-order at major retailers and through payment plans at the Big Three telcos. The iPhone Duo starts at AU$3,499 for the 256GB model and caps out at AU$5,899 for the 2TB model. The foldable can be purchased outright at the Apple Store or via its financing program with Afterpay.

In addition to the Apple Store, retailers and telcos such as Amazon, JB Hi-Fi, The Good Guys, Vodafone, Optus and Telstra will stock the new handset.

Select retailers will accept trade-ins for your old phone and offer credit towards the iPhone Duo. Apple is also offering trade-in credit between AU$70 and AU$1,595, with the higher credit reserved for a newer phone — i.e., an iPhone 17 Pro Max. If you're opting for a trade-in, you can calculate your phone's credit value at Optus, Vodafone or JB Hi-Fi.

But enough with the fuss — here are the best iPhone Duo pre-order offers available right now.

iPhone Duo promo offers

iPhone Duo handset deals

If you've only ever used iPhones, then the iPhone Duo is set to be a very different experience for you. Normally, phones only have one screen, and there are only two possible ways of using them: in a portrait/vertical orientation or landscape/horizontal. Foldables make things a little more complicated .

Not only does the iPhone Duo have two separate displays, it's also capable of detecting the position of the hinge — recognizing if the foldable screen is fully or partially open. That means there are a bunch of different ways you could use the phone, depending on the specific hinge state. While that may sound intimidating to newcomers, it's actually set to be one of the Duo's main advantages.

Here's what you need to know about the iPhone Duo's different modes, and how the Hinge State plays its part.

What is Hinge State?

The key thing that the iPhone Duo's different modes rely on is the Hinge State, or more specifically the angle at which the phone's hinge is positioned. By detecting what angle the hinge is positioned in, the phone can alter the look of what's on screen to offer an optimal experience for the user.

Hinge is at zero degrees? That means the phone is closed, and content should only be displayed on the exterior cover display. 180 degrees? That means the exact opposite, and content should be displayed on the interior screen instead. The intermediary angles then determine just how the on-screen content is displayed.

Other foldables are capable of doing this, dynamically adjusting the on-screen interface in order to take advantage of the nuances of the phone's position. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra offers this as a feature called "Flex Mode," though it was sadly removed from the passport-shaped Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Because of the Hinge State, the iPhone Duo offers six distinct modes for you to use.

All the different iPhone Duo modes

1. Closed

The most basic mode the iPhone Duo has to offer is closed. That means the hinge is shut, and the only accessible screen is the exterior cover display. That means you have the 5.4-inch display to work with, complete with all the Dynamic Island and a hole-punch selfie camera. Though it's worth noting that both of those have been moved to a new vertical position on the right-side of the screen.

This mode is how you'll use the iPhone Duo for quick tasks that don't require the use of a larger screen. That includes checking notifications, sending quick messages, taking phone calls, or using Apple Wallet.

2. Open (Horizontal/Landscape)

Fully opening the iPhone Duo switches things over to the larger 7.6-inch display, which defaults to a horizontal/landscape viewing mode. This screen is closer in size to a tablet, and is designed for those times where you need as much screen space as possible. Examples include watching movies or TV shows, gaming, drawing or running two apps side by side.

Essentially this is the default mode for entertainment and productivity. The under-display camera on the top-right side of the screen means this mode is ideal for FaceTiming and other video calls, with the large screen giving you a good view of everyone on the call.

3. Open (Vertical/Portrait)

This mode doesn't rely on the Hinge State, but if you flip the iPhone Duo into a vertical/portrait orientation, you can get a better experience for certain tasks and apps. Not only does this flip the navigation bar to the bottom of the phone, the taller aspect ratio means you can better display reading material, whether that's ebooks or articles you've found online.

Other potential benefits gained from this mode include easier note-taking, less scrolling while browsing the web, and the ability to stack two apps on top of each other. In some circumstances, that could prove beneficial for your multitasking needs. TikTok and other vertical videos will also be able to fill up more of the screen and enhance the viewing experience.

4. Book Mode (Partially Folded)

This mode features an iPhone Duo that is almost fully open, but not quite. The hinge is positioned beyond a 90-degree angle, and visually the phone looks a lot like an open book. In this mode, the iPhone Duo adapts to the fact that there's a crease running down the middle of the screen, and moves on-screen elements away from it.

Essentially the iPhone Duo has anticipated the distortion that occurs around the display crease, and has taken steps to ensure you can actually see (and touch) everything you need to.

This mode is good for reading in a more natural book-like way, with one page open on either side of the screen. It may also be useful for multitasking when using an Apple Pencil, since it gives you a nook to hold onto the middle of the iPhone Duo and not try to stretch your hand around the entirety of the unfolded device. This mode also lets you prop the Duo on a flat surface without a stand, which allows you to switch on StandBy Mode.

5. Tabletop mode (90-degree angle fold)

Tabletop mode involves positioning the iPhone Duo like a laptop, with the hinge folded around 90-degrees. In this instance, the phone will split the screen down the crease, and separate different sections of an app for your perusal. Alternatively, it's beneficial for those times you need stable support beneath your phone without relying on some kind of stand.

Instances where tabletop mode would be useful include hands-free video calling, taking long-exposure or timed photos, or streaming content while keeping things like the description and comments sections accessible.

6. Tent/Standing mode

This mode involves folding the iPhone Duo into a "V" shape, and resting it on a flat surface with the exterior display facing outwards. Effectively positioning the phone like a stereotypical tent. In this instance the interior screen switches off, and the outer display takes over all the hard work.

This mode is useful for a number of reasons, particularly since it lets you hold up the phone without the aid of a stand. Possible uses include streaming content on the outer display, which will use less power than the larger inner screen, or propping it up for StandBy mode to show the time and other compatible widgets at a glance.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Duo Geekbench scores leak, and Apple's foldable is about to leave Android rivals in the dust
• iPhone Duo: Here’s why an iPhone 18 Pro Max and MacBook Neo combo is the better buy
• Apple increases iPhone Duo production by 30% — here's what that means for you

The iPhone Duo's full release is coming next week, on October 23, but early benchmark testing has already been posted online. Tom's Guide will bring you a full review in due course, but this early indicator is that the Duo will leave other foldables in the dust.

The tested iPhone Duo (listed as iPhone19,4 on Geekbench) was running iOS 27.1 and posted a single-core score of 3,986 and a multi-core score of 11,067. As you'd expect, that's on par with the scores from the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which also carry the A20 Pro.

Our own testing of those two devices returned a Geekbench score of 4,022 / 11,543 for the 18 Pro and 4,025 / 11,525 for the Pro Max.

So, while this particular iPhone Duo falls short of Apple's non-folding phones, it's not a definitive result. Wait for our full lab-tested Duo benchmarking results to be sure.

Here's how these leaked Duo results square up against not just the 18 Pro and Pro Max, but also our lab-tested results for its main foldable rival: the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra:

Our final scores are averaged out from multiple tests, but even so, you can see the leaked iPhone Duo results comfortably beat out Samsung's foldables. We'll know for sure once we've tested it in kind, but the iPhone Duo looks set to become the most powerful foldable you can buy — and then some.

The A20 Pro inside the Duo is backed by 12GB of RAM and Apple's new 2nm chip packs a CPU with two super cores that are up to 20% faster and four efficiency cores. Apple has also designed it so the memory is located next to the SoC instead of on top, which results in better heat dissipation. Like the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, the Duo also features a vapor chamber for thermal management.

It's true the iPhone Duo's high price tag is going to make it a non-starter for most people and there are some trade-offs to be aware of. But judging by these early (and unconfirmed) results, power isn't going to be one of them.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Duo: Here’s why an iPhone 18 Pro Max and MacBook Neo combo is the better buy
• Fitbit Edge first impressions: 5 reasons to buy (and 2 reasons to skip) Google's new fitness tracker
• Apple increases iPhone Duo production by 30% — here's what that means for you

Preorders for the iPhone Duo are set to open later this week, but I bet there are plenty of people still on the fence about pulling the trigger. While I’m confident Apple’s diligence in engineering and developing its first foldable phone will yield solid results, I still have a tough time convincing myself to plop down $1,999 for it.

Yet, this is a story I’m all too familiar with. Ever since foldable phones arrived with sky-high price tags in tow, they’ve been marketed as a middle ground between phones and laptops. Sure, the iPhone Duo’s compact size and practical multitasking look poised to make tablets obsolete, but its steep cost still gives me pause.

That’s why I’m tackling my most pressing dilemma: is the iPhone Duo worth buying over an iPhone 18 Pro Max and MacBook Neo combo? Here’s what you should know before clicking that preorder button.

Price comparison

Before I tell you which setup offers better value, you need to know what your out-of-pocket expense will actually look like. History has shown that a single gadget designed to replace two almost always commands a massive premium — and that holds true here.

When you break down the numbers, you’re paying $1,999 for an iPhone Duo with 256GB of base storage. In contrast, an iPhone 18 Pro Max with 256GB will set you back $1,299, while a 256GB base MacBook Neo adds another $699 to the bill. That brings the two-device total to $1,998 — a virtual tie with the Duo.

Keep in mind that this near-identical tally is largely due to Apple’s recent $100 price hike on the MacBook Neo. Without it, the combo would have left an extra bill in your pocket you could've used for something else like a case for the phone.

Why you should get the iPhone Duo

This year alone, I’ve reviewed many of the best foldable phones around — especially notebook-style flagships like the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and Motorola Razr Fold. They all hover near that $2,000 threshold that puts them in a category of their own.

But quite frankly, the primary reason to buy an iPhone Duo comes down to consolidation. For commuters who already haul a heavy tech bag, the Duo noticeably lightens the load. Thanks to its passport-like footprint when folded, it's considerably easier to manage one-handed than an oversized slab like the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

At the same time, it lets you tackle everyday tasks normally reserved for a MacBook. By unfolding it to reveal its expansive 7.8-inch Super Retina XDR display, you can pair a portable wireless keyboard to simulate typing on a laptop — all without sacrificing crucial screen real estate. And because iOS supports Bluetooth mice, you can enable pointer support in accessibility settings to navigate the interface with precision.

Consolidating down to one device also cuts out extra accessory clutter. You only need to pack a single USB-C cable and a compact wall charger. This ultra-portable workstation setup easily handles routine duties: firing off email replies, hammering out copy in Google Docs, or covering a livestream on YouTube stream while sharing updates to X and Threads.

On the entertainment side, the iPhone Duo truly shines. In addition to being ideal for streaming movies on a long train commute, its folding hinge allows for instant, hands-free tabletop viewing. That comes in clutch when I’m grabbing a quick lunch at my desk while scrolling through Instagram Reels. Just prop the hinge halfway open, adjust the angle, and the phone serves as its own built-in kickstand.

Why you should get the iPhone 18 Pro Max and MacBook Neo combo

I get that you’re carrying a second device, but there are compelling reasons why splitting your budget between the iPhone 18 Pro Max and MacBook Neo beats banking entirely on the iPhone Duo. For starters, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is through and through an uncompromising flagship that checks every box. From its versatile triple-camera array — headlined by a new mechanical variable aperture and dedicated telephoto lens — to its class-leading battery endurance, it remains the gold standard that foldables simply can't match without major hardware trade-offs.

More importantly, this two-device setup gives you a true computer for the nitty-gritty work. As much as Apple touts the multitasking prowess of the iPhone Duo, iOS 27 still doesn't replicate the desktop freedom of macOS. On the MacBook Neo, you’re not limited to snapping two mobile apps side by side on a mobile OS. You get true overlapping window management, an integrated physical keyboard with precision trackpad feedback, and the ability to run desktop-grade creative suites like Final Cut Pro and the full Adobe suite.

There are also critical daily workflows that prevent me from using the iPhone Duo. For example, Chrome on macOS gives me access to every specialized browser extension I’ve relied on for years to manage the content management system I work with — and that’s not possible with Safari or Chrome for iOS.

Add in a proper file system that makes juggling folders easier, native multi-display support, and that tactile, physical presence of a keyboard and mouse, and the verdict becomes obvious for me. Frankly, getting stuff done is my biggest priority and relying on just an iPhone Duo doesn’t cut it.

Final thoughts

Don’t get me wrong, the iPhone Duo is without question one of Apple’s most intriguing pieces of hardware in years. Like I’ve said before, foldable phones have made mobile tech fun again, and the iPhone Duo certainly lives up to that hype. But impressive engineering doesn't outweigh everyday compromises.

When a single hybrid demands sacrifices in camera versatility, desktop software, and raw battery endurance — all while costing virtually the same as an iPhone 18 Pro Max paired with a MacBook Neo — the math simply doesn't add up for me. Unless your sole priority is lightening your everyday carry, splitting your investment across two specialized devices remains the far smarter choice.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Duo pre-orders — 7 reasons to buy and 4 reasons to skip
• We benchmarked the MacBook Neo vs budget Windows laptops — here's the truth
• iPhone Duo has a secret cooling system hiding inside its hinge — and that's another way it beats Galaxy Z Fold 8

The impending launch of the iPhone Duo is at the forefront of all our minds here at Tom's Guide, particularly the subject of whether we'll be able to score a pre-order and how long we're going to have to wait if we do. Pre-orders open this Friday (October 16) at 8 a.m. ET ahead of an official release on October 23. But when will those units actually arrive?

I'm still waiting on the iPhone 18 Pro Max I ordered a month ago, and they were available in much greater numbers. So I shudder to think how long people are going to have to wait for their iPhone Duo orders to be delivered.

Projected demand for the iPhone Duo is high, and despite the high price tag analysts have been predicting shortages for months already. It's not hard to see why, when you consider the fact that Apple is only expected to ship a few million iPhone Duo units this year — compared to the tens of millions of non-folding iPhones.

The good news is, any projected shortages won't be lasting forever. Especially not now that Apple has reportedly increased its iPhone Duo orders by roughly 30%.

More Duos means more availability

The report in question comes from the Securities Times in China, which claims that Apple is anticipating far higher demand for the iPhone Duo than previously expected. The report notes that previous estimates pointed towards 6 to 7 million units being produced this year, but now that figure is closer to 10 million.

This comes off the back of reports that Apple has reduced production targets for the iPhone 18 Pro by 10 to 15%, while simultaneously increasing iPhone 18 Pro Max production by the same amount.

The 10 million figure is not new, and past reports have suggested Apple could have ordered anything from 7 to 10 million iPhone Duo units. However, we never got any real confirmation of that, and news that Apple could be increasing the future supply of its first foldable can only be a good thing for potential buyers.

Why? Because this means any short-term shortages of the iPhone Duo are likely to be temporary. Apple wants to get its foldable into as many willing hands as it can, and the more it produces, the easier that will inevitably be.

In other words, if you're struggling to get hold of the iPhone Duo at release, whether it's with an online pre-order or purchasing from a retail store, patience will be your best friend. Which also means you should absolutely not give in to FOMO and buy an overpriced iPhone Duo from a scalper.

Never give in to the scalpers

Scalpers are an unscrupulous lot, and they will happily take advantage of demand to try to make themselves a few extra bucks. We've seen major problems arise over the past couple of years, and it got particularly bad during the COVID-19 pandemic when consumer electronics were in short supply right as demand exploded.

PS5s were a popular target for scalpers at the time, as were Nintendo Switches, Xboxes and graphics cards. More recently, there have been serious problems with scalpers targeting hobbies, notably Pokemon cards, and any other product that could easily be flipped for a profit.

A high-profile release like the iPhone Duo is ripe for scalpers to try and take advantage. I can guarantee that, come Friday, sites like eBay will be flooded with listings offering fast access to the foldable for a price. Obviously you should not cave and give them what they want.

Buying from scalpers not only encourages them to keep doing what they're doing and to force the rest of us to pay even more for already-expensive products, but it's also unnecessary.

Supply eventually bounces back

We have shipment delays every time Apple releases a new iPhone, with one particular model or color proving to be far more popular than Apple apparently anticipated. So those people with their heart set on that specific iPhone end up having to wait a little while longer. The ratio of supply and demand always equalizes, though, and those sought-after models inevitably stop being so elusive.

Sometimes it happens in a few weeks; for others it's a couple of months. The fact is that Apple is in the business of making money by selling as many iPhones as possible. Unlike some companies that seem to thrive on artificial scarcity, that's never really been part of Apple's playbook. The fact it's reportedly increased its iPhone Duo order is testament to that.

Plus, you have to remember that Apple offers a 2-week return policy in the U.S. This means scalpers can buy the iPhone Duo, safe in the knowledge that any unsold units can be returned for a full refund within 14 days of them receiving it. We saw that happen with the Apple Vision Pro, both from scalpers and potential buyers that decided the $3,500 face computer wasn't for them.

That matters because unscalped units will be redistributed into the iPhone Duo supply chain, and sold to someone else — hopefully someone who actually wants to use it. This should also lead to a drop in wait times, but all of that will be for naught if people give the scalpers what they want.

How to secure your iPhone Duo pre-order

iPhone Duo pre-orders open on Friday, October 16 at 5 a.m. PT / 8 a.m. ET / 1 p.m. BST, and that will be your first opportunity to secure an Apple foldable for yourself. Obviously, everyone who wants a Duo will have the same idea, and will be flocking to the Apple website to try and grab one for themselves — and right now there's no way of knowing how hectic the process is going to be.

The good news is that Apple is already letting customers prepare their pre-orders ahead of time. This doesn't guarantee you an iPhone Duo, but it does let you get through the bulk of the pre-ordering process in advance. That means confirming the configuration you want, which carrier you need to sign up for, and ensuring any financial checks that need to take place are all approved and finalized before Friday morning.

So once pre-orders do open, all you need to do is head to your basket on the Apple website and confirm the order that has already been set up. The few minutes that you save could be the difference between getting your iPhone Duo soon or having to wait several more weeks.

Alternatively, you could try your luck elsewhere. Third-party carriers will be stocking the iPhone Duo, and may experience less demand than Apple itself. Similarly, you could try your luck at your nearest Apple Store on October 23, and get to experience the personalized messaging Apple is said to be adding to Duo purchases made in store. There's probably going to be a line, so I recommend getting there early. At least the abnormally warm October weather means you're less likely to catch a chill while standing in line.

Just don't buy from a scalper. The iPhone Duo is expensive enough, and there's no real benefit to paying more to get your hands on one.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Duo pre-orders — 7 reasons to buy and 4 reasons to skip
• iPhone Duo has a secret cooling system hiding inside its hinge — and that's another way it beats Galaxy Z Fold 8
• iPhone Duo pre-orders open this week — but there are still 7 things we don't know

The iPhone Duo's release day is coming in fast, and pre-orders open up this Friday (October 16). This means a lot of people are going to decide whether they're actually going to pick up the foldable for themselves, or if they're going to stick with a non-folding phone for the time being.

Making that decision isn't always easy, especially if you find yourself enamored by all the things the first foldable iPhone has to offer. But when it comes down to it, you simply need to weigh up the pros and cons of buying the iPhone Duo for yourself. This is something we can help out with.

Here are seven reasons why you should pre-order the iPhone Duo this Friday, and four reasons why it might not be worth it. And stay tuned for our full rated review and test results for the final Tom's Guide verdict.

Reasons to buy

It's a mini iPhone and tablet in one gadget

The main selling point when it comes to iPhone Duo is the fact that this is the first foldable iPhone. It's something that people have been asking Apple to make for years, and after so many delays and an apparent quest for perfectionism Apple has finally done it. You get a 5.4-inch iPhone that unfolds to reveal a massive 7.6-inch main display.

The iPhone Duo might as well be the cross between an iPhone and the iPad mini, offering the best parts of both in a single device. You get a compact and portable iPhone experience on the exterior display, while opening it up offers the tablet-like interface for all those times a larger screen is more beneficial. And it's all within the usual Apple ecosystem.

More durable than other foldables

Historically speaking, foldable phones have not been the most hardy of devices. Durability has come a long way in recent years, but older models were comparatively fragile devices in the grand scheme of things. The iPhone Duo is not falling into that trap, and it looks like Apple is going all in on making this phone as strong as it can be.

The IP68 water and dust resistance rating puts the iPhone Duo above Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, which offers no dust resistance at all. The Duo is also one of only a handful of phones that has a titanium frame, which should enhance the overall strength of the phone. On top of that, Apple is utilizing Ceramic Shield 2 glass, which is famed for its damage and scratch resistance on the exterior display, alongside a Ceramic Shield 1 backplate.

We're still not sure how durable the interior display is yet, but the rest of the phone is looking pretty sturdy so far.

Real iPhone multitasking

Multitasking is common on a lot of phones, but Apple largely ignored it — saving it as an iPad feature. Since the iPhone Duo is essentially a hybrid device, it wouldn't be complete without multitasking of its own — which is why side-by-side multitasking is available on the iPhone Duo.

Admittedly being able to display two apps next to each other is the bare minimum Apple could offer, and other devices (including iPads) offer additional windows and split-screen functionality. But that doesn't change the fact that this is the first iPhone that lets you run two apps simultaneously. And Apple makes it super easy to choose new apps, as well as drag and drop content between windows.

Bright, anti-reflective display

There are still things we don't know about the iPhone Duo's main display, like how it's going to handle repeated folding over extended periods of time. But we do know that this is a large 7.6-inch screen with an impressive peak brightness of 3,000 nits.

That's the same as the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, but with the added benefit of the nano-texture coating. It's not the same as the anti-reflective coating we've seen on phones like the Z Fold 8, but it does diffuse incoming light. That means the screen itself is a lot less reflective, and prevents the kind of glare you get on glossy displays. The nano-texture display also does a fairly good job of hiding the crease.

A20 Pro performance

Apple's A20 Pro is one heck of a chip, and we've already seen the kind of things its capable of while testing the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max. Computing and graphics performance is so high that we declared them the fastest phones we've ever tested. And that same chip is coming to the iPhone Duo.

We don't know how much of a difference there will be on the new devices. There were some variations between the Pro and Pro Max models, but not enough to really matter. It all comes down to whether the need to operate two screens is going to make much difference to the numbers. But, even if it does, the Duo is still shaping up to be one of the best performing phones of the year.

Strong battery life & fast charging

We haven't tested the iPhone Duo's battery life yet, so we don't know how long it will last in comparison to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Still, Apple promises that the exterior screen can last for up to 44 hours of video playback, while the larger foldable screen is rated for up to 31 hours.

That's a little less than the 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max's respective 36 and 45 hours. But considering those phones offer some of the best battery life, with a respective 16 hours 17 minutes and 18 hours 27 minutes in our custom battery test, we expect the iPhone Duo will come out pretty strongly.

Plus, the iPhone Duo supports up to 60W charging, which is more than you can expect from a lot of other foldables. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Pixel 11 Pro Fold max out at 45W and 25W, respectively.

Apple Pencil support

Pairing a foldable phone with a stylus seems like a perfect match, but it's not something that's easy to come by right now. The Razr Fold supports its own specialized stylus, as does Oppo's Find N series, but that's about it — and the support is limited to foldables. Apple's going in a different direction, offering support for the existing Apple Pencil (USB-C).

That's the same Apple Pencil that's compatible with almost every recent iPad, even if it isn't the most advanced and feature-rich stylus Apple has to offer. Not only does this mean the iPhone Duo had the productivity boost a stylus offers, it's the same low-cost accessory that a lot of people might already own.

Reasons to skip

The price

The biggest downside to iPhone Duo is the same as all foldables phones: The high price tag. With prices starting at $1,999 for a model with 256GB of storage, this is the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever released — $700 more than the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

That's obviously going to put a lot of people off, especially when you remember that Apple is asking you to sacrifice certain things in the process. Is it worth spending more money just to get the foldable design? Some don't believe that it is.

No telephoto camera

The biggest issue with the Duo is that the camera experience is going to be, as a whole, worse than you'd get on a non-folding iPhone. The most obvious issue is that there's no telephoto lens, which means you're automatically at a disadvantage for zoomed in photos.

The iPhone Duo also misses out staple Pro-level camera features like ProRAW photos, ProRES video, LOG recording and spatial photography. Not to mention the fact it's missing iPhone 18 Pro's variable aperture lens and Pro photography controls.

Some might argue that these are either niche or power-user features, and they may have a point, but it doesn't change the fact that Apple is offering less in the camera department for the iPhone Duo versus the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.

MagSafe accessory support is a little funky

The iPhone Duo supports MagSafe, which is great for wireless charging, but the unique design means it's going to struggle with certain MagSafe-compatible accessories. In fact, we've already seen images of people who tested the foldable with MagSafe wallets, only to find that the phone is too short to support them without some overhang.

Wallets won't be the only accessories affected by this either. Any MagSafe-friendly accessories that have been designed to fit on regular-sized iPhones are going to fit a little awkwardly on the iPhone Duo — including batteries and some stands. It may not cause many practical problems, but when you have a brand that prides itself on design as much as Apple, it's not ideal for long-standing accessories to suddenly not work.

You can expect a wide range of iPhone Duo accessories, so stay tuned for our coverage.

It might be worth waiting for iPhone Duo 2

The iPhone Duo is Apple's first foldable phone, so it stands to reason that some shoppers will bide their time and wait for the sequel so Apple can work out any possible kinks.

The things Apple learns in the months following the Duo's release will undoubtedly be used to improve the next generation. Which means waiting a year might be a better use of your money.

For example, perhaps the next iPhone Duo will support Face ID instead of just Touch ID. Or maybe Apple will find a way to add a telephoto zoom camera while keeping the design compact.

iPhone Duo outlook

The iPhone Duo has a lot going for it, from its nano-texture display and durability to Apple's approach to the software and the multiple modes the Duo supports. It should also be the fastest foldable yet.

However, $2,000 is a lot of money to spend on a phone, even if it can double as a tablet. And you have to be willing to give up certain iPhone 18 Pro features to get Apple's first foldable, such as a telephoto zoom and Face ID. But we're betting a lot of people will be willing to live with these trade-offs.

Stay tuned for our iPhone Duo review and test results for our final verdict. In the meantime, if you have any questions or agree or disagree with any of my reasons to buy or skip, hit us up in the comments. And if you do plan on pre-ordering the iPhone Duo, check out Amazon's lineup of iPhone Duo cases and accessories so your foldable is ready to go on day one.

More from Tom's Guide

• Android 17 vs iOS 27 — which platform does lock screen widgets the best?
• Want the iPhone Duo without the wait? Here's how to prep your pre-order ahead of time
• I turned my Android phone into a Steam Deck with one app — mobile gaming will never be the same again thanks to DroidDeck

Pre-orders for the iPhone Duo officially kick off this Friday, but if you want to get your hands on Apple's foldable as soon as humanly possible, there are some things you can do to try and minimize those inevitable delays. We already have a rundown of different tips and tricks you can employ to secure your pre-order, and arguably the most important is preparing everything ahead of time.

Apple's letting would-be Duo owners set up their entire purchase ahead of pre-orders opening this Friday (October 16) at 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT. This doesn't let you skip the line in any meaningful way, but it does let you go through the entire ordering process early — effectively saving your iPhone Duo order to your basket ready to checkout later.

This may not seem like much, but when you're battling legions of people (and scalpers) that are simultaneously trying to secure iPhone Duos for themselves, every second you save could mean knocking days (or weeks) off your delivery estimate.

How to prep your iPhone Duo pre-order

There's nothing particularly special about the way this process works. You simply head to the Apple Store website and work your way through a purchasing page just as you would with any iPhone model. This means picking things like color, storage level, carrier and AppleCare plan, while also securing trade-in quotes and organizing how you're going to pay.

That last part is probably the biggest time saver. If you're not intending on paying for your device in full, you're going to have to go through all the financial hoops involved in applying for a finance or leasing plan. That's something you may not have been otherwise prepared for, and this way you can get yourself approved ahead of time.

Heck, even those of you planning to put the whole purchase on a credit card will be able to save yourself the hassle of hurriedly entering all those numbers on Friday morning. Most importantly, this process also lets you get through the verification stage, and as we saw with the PS5 restock fiasco of five years ago, being forced into that process can be difference between securing a unit and not.

Things to remember

There are some things this process does not do, however. The main one to remember is that preparing for a pre-order is not the same as actually pre-ordering. You have to return to the Apple Store to complete the checkout process after 8 a.m. ET on Friday October 16. You're also not obligated to actually follow through with the purchase either, and if you decide against pre-ordering an iPhone Duo you can simply not do that.

This preparation process also doesn't seem to take into account whether your credit card is at, or close, to your credit limit. My monthly credit limit is (by choice) about $300 less than the price of an iPhone Duo, not counting the cost of carrier activation or AppleCare+. Yet the pre-order preparation process was happy to take my details, and American Express didn't flag any issues during the process.

Needless to say, you should make sure your purchase isn't going to get declined, or a lot of this effort will go to waste.

Failing this, you can always try and secure an iPhone Duo from someone else. AT&T and Xfinity Mobile are among the carriers that have announced pre-order deals for the iPhone Duo, and if your delivery estimate is too far in the future, you can always try your luck standing in line at your nearest Apple store on October 23.

More from Tom's Guide

• The fastest way to sign documents on Mac is a secret feature hidden in plain sight
• iPhone Duo has a secret cooling system hiding inside its hinge — and that's another way it beats Galaxy Z Fold 8
• 4 new iOS 27 features that turn Apple Notes into a productivity powerhouse

The iPhone Duo is arguably the most exciting iPhone Apple has released for a long time, but there are still some secrets that Apple hasn't divulged about its first foldable — one of them has just been revealed in an interview with PCMag.

PCMag spoke to Dan Murray, Apple's vice president of silicon engineering and Banafsheh Barabadi, the company’s senior manager of thermal product design, to discuss the A20 Pro chip. As part of this, the pair confirmed that the foldable comes with some unique hardware to better take advantage of the chip's performance power.

The A20 Pro was specifically designed for all three new iPhones, the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone Duo. But because the Duo is foldable, things had to change. One such feature is the addition of a second display engine, which allows for "simultaneous operation of the inner and outer displays." There's also extra support for the under-display camera hidden under the interior screen.

Keeping things cool

The most interesting thing is how Apple handles the issue of heat on the iPhone Duo. We knew there's a vapor chamber in the phone, which is something the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 lack. But problems arise when you remember that this is a phone that can double in thickness at a moment's notice.

For that reason, Apple also added a "flexible graphite pipe" through the hinge, to help transfer heat between both halves of the iPhone Duo. That effectively doubles the amount of surface area available for heat dissipation.

The piece in question was co-engineered with Apple's thermal team, with the express goal of ensuring that a flexible material will be able to survive "many hinge cycles" without compromising its conductivity or structural integrity.

Like the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, the iPhone Duo also features a direct connection between the A20 Pro and vapor chamber, which ensures better heat dissipation. This connection is made with what Apple calls "metal over foam," which offers a direct path for heat to travel from the chip to the vapor chamber. At that point, the heat can be safely dissipated throughout the phone, instead of building up in a single area.

That's another iPhone Duo benefit

It's interesting that Apple has done this, though it isn't that surprising. I previously used a thermal camera to see how hot the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra got during a graphics benchmarking session, and one of the things I noticed was that the heat was contained within one half of the phone — with very little temperature change across the hinge.

Obviously, that's not good for the Z Fold 8 Ultra. Not only does it not have a vapor chamber to aid in cooling, concentrating the heat to that extent can be very bad for the phone over the long term. Not to mention it's going to have a negative impact on sustained performance. By ensuring heat can easily cross the hinge this way, Apple is making sure that those same problems don't affect the Duo.

We'll know for sure how effective these design choices have been once we've put the iPhone Duo to the test. Expect a full review on Tom's Guide soon and pre-orders for the foldable open this Friday (October 16), ahead of release a week later (October 23).

More from Tom's Guide

• Android 17 vs iOS 27 — which platform does lock screen widgets the best?
• I used my iPhone to photograph the stars — here are the subtle tweaks that produced stunning results
• I turned my Android phone into a Steam Deck with one app — mobile gaming will never be the same again thanks to DroidDeck

Pre-orders for the iPhone Duo open officially kick off this Wednesday, giving eager foldable enthusiasts the chance to secure their device ahead of the October 23 release date. While many of you will already be taking steps to get that pre-order on day one, and avoid lengthy delays, we should all be aware there are things we still don't know about Apple's first foldable phone.

I'm not talking about major surprises like hidden features or hardware specs, since Apple has been very open so far. I mean the kind of things you can only learn from actually using a phone for extended periods of time. And some of them might be the difference between eagerly ordering an iPhone Duo, and deciding that you might be better off waiting for the second or third iteration of the phone.

Here are 7 things we still don't really know about the iPhone Duo.

What's the battery life really like?

Phone companies love to brag about the longevity of their batteries, and how long a phone will last on a single charge. Apple is no exception to this.

The iPhone Duo rated for 44 hours of video playback from the external display and 31 hours using the larger folding screen. But how will that translate into real-world usage? It's unclear, and since we haven't been able to test the iPhone Duo's battery for ourselves yet, we can't say how the phone compares to other iPhones or foldables.

Apple says the iPhone 18 Pro can handle up to 36 hours of video playback, while the Pro Max can last 45. On the Tom's Guide Battery Test, which consists of 5G web surfing, the iPhone 18 Pro endured for 16 hours and 17 minutes, and the Pro Max lasted 18 hours 27 minutes.

That gives us a rough idea of how the iPhone Duo should perform in our battery test. More so when you consider that much of the internal hardware is the same, including the energy-efficient A20 Pro and C2 modem. So here's hoping the Duo does offer similar results, though we obviously won't know for sure until we get to test one properly.

How good is the screen really?

A lot of emphasis has been put on the iPhone Duo's foldable screen, and not just because it folds. Apple has opted for a matte "nano-texture" display, rather than the glossy glass panels you'll find on most premium phones.

While we're starting to come round to the idea of this new kind of display, there's still the question of how well the screen will actually perform in different conditions. I'm especially curious to see how the phone handles bright environments, especially compared to the anti-reflective coating Samsung has applied to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra.

There's also the lingering question of how the nano-texture coating will affect colors and image quality.

Finally, Apple has made a very big deal about the fact the Duo has no visible display crease, but will it stay that way forever? As we've seen with other foldables, the display crease has a habit of appearing over time, even if it wasn't there at launch. So it'll be interesting to see what Duo screens look like three to six months from now.

What's accessory support going to be like?

We know that the iPhone Duo supports MagSafe, but the phone's unique shape means that a lot of existing MagSafe accessories aren't going to fit. We've already seen examples of that pop up online, including images that suggest the phone is too short to attach a MagSafe card wallet neatly.

You can't change the size of a credit card, and it has me worried that other MagSafe accessories are going to be affected in similar ways. Chargers should be fine, but things like batteries and stands may look a little awkward.

The shape means that other wraparound accessories, like USB-C game controllers, are going to have a hard time connecting to the phone. While this is a problem all foldables have to face, it means anyone with an existing controller may have to invest in a wireless option.

How good are the cameras?

Apple has earned a lot of goodwill where cameras are concerned, having consistently offered some of the best camera phones for years. But like the iPhone Air before it, we have some worries that the iPhone Duo may not be able to live up to the quality currently afforded by iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.

Most concerning is the fact that there's no telephoto lens, and Apple is opting for the digital-only "optical quality" feature to simulate zoomed in shots instead.

The camera hardware looks pretty similar on paper, even if the foldable lacks the new variable aperture technology, and this suggests that iPhone Duo will do a good job with the lenses it has. Modern smartphone photography is as much about the software as it is the hardware, after all. We saw that with the iPhone Air, which took great pictures despite the fact it only has a single lens.

But, as we saw with the Galaxy Z Fold 8, the loss of that third lens can have an impact, and we won't know what the situation is until after the iPhone Duo is released.

Is it as durable as Apple says?

Durability has been the foldable phone's weakness for a long time, especially when some of them still don't bother to seal the chassis to protect against dust. Apple seems to have done a bunch of things to ensure that its own phone doesn't fall into those pitfalls, but that doesn't necessarily mean everything will work out ok.

After all, we did experience the scratchgate problems with iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. The switch from titanium to anodized aluminum and the raised camera bar, meant that the phone was more prone to scratches and scuffs compared to older models.

The iPhone Duo will benefit from the fact it's made from Grade 5 titanium, the same as iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro, as well as the impressive strength of Ceramic Shield 2 on the front display. But that doesn't necessarily mean things can't go wrong somewhere, and the durability of the foldable screen is a notable unknown.

This is something we can't really learn about until reviewers get their hands on the iPhone Duo.

Third-party app optimization

The software experience is one of the iPhone Duo's main selling points, and we know that Apple has done a lot to ensure that apps are optimized for the new screen sizes.

But just because Apple and a handful of third-party developers have been working to get their apps looking good on the dual displays doesn't mean all apps will look that good. Optimizing apps does involve work from the developer, and it's something that a lot of them willfully ignore.

You only have to look at all the Android apps that are just blown-up versions of phone apps to see this in action. Here's hoping that there will be dozens if not hundreds of apps optimized for the iPhone Duo on day one.

Long term comfort

One of the things we noticed during our iPhone Duo hands-on is that this is definitely not the thinnest or lightest foldable you can buy. In fact, with a weight of 8.9 ounces, it's the heaviest iPhone Apple has ever made. Combined with a form factor people aren't used to, it makes me wonder what kind of impact there will be on long-term comfort.

I'll admit, this is not the biggest issue in the world. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 already proved that the wider form factor is more comfortable than the larger screens of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. But the Fold 8 is nearly 2 ounces lighter than the Duo.

Until we are able to spend an extended amount of time with the iPhone Duo, we won't know for sure whether the design and weight start taking their toll after a few hours of extended use. Stay tuned for our full iPhone Duo review and test results.

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Android may have been the king of widgets for a very long time, beating Apple to the punch by several years, but the same can't be said about offering them on the lock screen. Lock screen widgets were available until Android 5, at which point they were unceremoniously removed with no word on when they would come back.

iOS, meanwhile, added the feature back in 2022 with iOS 16, prompting many an Android user to ask when the feature would make a comeback on Google-powered phones — myself included. Google eventually restored lock screen widgets on Android 16 last year, a move that I'd completely forgotten about by the time it reached my Pixel 10 Pro.

I have since fixed that glaring oversight and have been getting to grips with lock screen widgets on Android, and my mind naturally started drawing comparisons to iOS.

While similar, both platforms treat lock screen widgets very differently. So which of them actually does a better job?

How to set up lock screen widgets on Android and iOS

On Android, the easiest way to set up lockscreen widgets is to lock your phone, then swipe from the right side of the screen. You'll see a large box informing you that lock screen widgets are available, and you need to tap the Add widgets button to continue.

From there the setup is almost identical to that of adding home screen widgets. Select the app of your choice and choose one of the widget designs on offer.

On iOS, you will need to press and hold on your lock screen, then tap the Customize option when the lock screen editor shows up.

Once that's done press Add widgets in the bar at the bottom of your screen, and choose the app and widget style you want to add to your widget bar.

How lock screen widgets work on iOS

Apple's lock screen widgets are right in your face, sitting on your locks creen where you can see them. However they are fairly limited, in that Apple only gives you a single line of the screen to work with. This means you can't just overload your lock screen with whatever widgets you like, forcing you to be more selective about what you use.

Apple does let you make full use of that line, with equivalent space for four different tiles — or less if you select the larger widgets that take up the equivalent of two tiles. But once that line is full, you don't get any extra space to work with.

Most of the widgets seem to be for displaying information at a glance, whether that's time, calendar events, health metrics and other such features. There are a few other options that act as shortcuts to certain app features, including Chrome's dinosaur minigame for some reason, but I couldn't find anything that let me perform actions on my home screen.

It's unclear whether it is dependent on the apps you have installed, so maybe I missed something out. What I do know is that everything I have was limited to visible information or the aforementioned shortcuts. Apple also seems to limit which third party apps are allowed to offer lock screen widgets, and it seems as though my smart home apps didn't make the cut.

That means I don't get to turn on my water heater without unlocking my phone first.

One more thing to note is that iOS lets you choose whether your lock screen's widget bar sits at the top of the screen (under the clock) or at the bottom. There's no in-between option, so make sure to pick the one that works best for you.

How lock screen widgets work on Android

The funny thing about Android lock screen widgets is that it reminds of how Apple used to do widgets before iOS 14. If you think back to those days, you'll remember that iPhones had a separate page that stored all your widgets, accessible by swiping from the left side of the home screen.

That is essentially how Android's lock screen widgets work. You swipe from the right side of your lock screen, and all your widgets will be accessible without unlocking your phone. But rather than being a continuously scrolling feed of widgets, Android limits you to three lock screen widgets per page.

You can have multiple pages, of course, and if there's a limit to that I haven't managed to find it yet. So far I've added five pages worth of lock screen widgets, which is already more than I know what to do with.

You are limited to three widgets per page, however, and it doesn't actually matter how big the widgets actually are. The smallest widget takes up the exact same amount of space as the largest, and you need to use up all the space before moving on.

Much like Android's home screen widgets, there's a surprising amount of variety when it comes to widget design. You get multiple choices for each widget, and the designs are similar to those you'd expect to see on your phone itself. To the point where it feels a lot like the usual Android widget experience, but accessible when your phone is still locked.

You can only see things at a glance, though. Some widgets let you access and control certain phone features, including smart home devices, accessing anything more sensitive prompts you to unlock the phone. If I want to access my calendar, emails or even something as simple as Shazam, I'll need to unlock my phone first. While that does limit the usefulness of some widgets, I can understand why this is the case for a lot of things.

Except Shazam, not sure what that's about — perhaps it's something to do with microphone access?

Who does it best?

Both Android and iOS do lock screen widgets rather differently. Android gives you the option to have as many widgets as you like, with the added ability to perform certain actions without needing to unlock your phone.

Meanwhile iOS is a lot more limited, but seems focused on offering shortcuts to key apps, or offering important information in a way that doesn't require you to unlock your phone to see it — potentially saving you time and battery life in the process.

With that in mind, it seems Android definitely offers more freedom and productive use of its lock screen widgets. Sadly it's let down by the fact that it's so easy to forget about the widgets, and end up unlocking your phone anyway. While limited in scale, iOS's lock screen widgets are positioned front and center — making them very difficult to miss.

As feature-rich as Android lock screen widgets are, they're a bit pointless if you keep forgetting that they're there — and so far they haven't been around long enough to properly integrate themselves into my day-to-day phone use. Then again, it's not worth having in-your-face widgets if you can't do much with them.

Honestly, it would be much better if both platforms offered a hybrid approach. More feature-rich widgets on and around the lock screen, and displayed in a way that you can't really miss them. Keep Android's extra pages around too, so you have plenty of space to access the widgets you need when you need them.

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• iPhone Duo — I ranked the 9 biggest reasons to buy Apple’s first foldable
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Battery drain complaints are almost guaranteed after a major iPhone update, with background indexing usually taking a few days to settle. But when my battery kept draining rapidly well past the update period, I suspected Connectivity Assist, rebranded for iOS 27, was the hidden culprit.

It turns out I am far from alone. A growing group of frustrated users on the r/iPhone have reported similar battery hits, with several pointing directly to this setting as the root cause. Designed to prevent slow loading times when your wireless signal drops, the way Connectivity Assist operates under the hood might be putting strain on your power reserves.

Here is why Connectivity Assist drains power so quickly, and how to turn it off.

How Connectivity Assist actually works

In previous iOS versions, Wi-Fi Assist automatically supplemented a poor Wi-Fi network by routing traffic over cellular data in the background. Connectivity Assist in iOS 27 takes a significantly more aggressive approach, actively utilizing cellular data in addition to Wi-Fi to blend connection speeds.

Keeping both wireless radios actively working simultaneously can prevent stuttering, but running both receivers concurrently consumes noticeably more power and can lead to faster battery drain.

More from Tom's Guide

• iOS 27 finally fixed my biggest pet peeve when texting Android users
• 4 new iOS 27 features that turn Apple Notes into a productivity powerhouse
• You're using your iPhone Action Button wrong — how iOS 27 unlocks three features at once

Though other iPhone software updates can boast a greater number of changes, iOS 27 still marks a significant release for Apple, as it ushers in an overhaul of Siri that adds greater intelligence to the device you likely have with you at all times.

Whereas past versions of Apple's assistant have struggled with basic queries, iOS 27's take on Siri delivers a more capable helper that can perform more tasks, find our more information and prove to be every bit as indispensable as the iPhone itself.

Siri dominates any list of changes introduced by iOS 27, though it's not the only thing that the updated software brings to the table. Even if you don't have an iPhone that's capable of supporting Apple's AI features, you'll still find plenty to like about iOS 27.

I've been using the software update since the iOS 27 beta debuted over the summer, and I've found plenty of new additions that have worked their way into my regular iPhone routines. Here are twenty iOS 27 features I'd recommend trying if you've got the updated software installed on your iPhone.

Get the new Siri

If you've upgraded to iOS 27 and wonder why Siri doesn't look any different, there's a very simple answer — you've got to enable Siri AI.

It's simple enough to do. Launch the Settings app, and select Siri. On the ensuing screen, you'll tap Try Siri AI (Beta), followed by Continue to confirm that you want to give Siri with Apple Intelligence a try. That adds you to the waitlist, but the wait shouldn't be too long — it only took a matter of minutes for a notification to appear on my iPhone that Siri AI was ready to use.

Once Siri AI is active, the entire look of the on-device assistant will change, with a bubble-style interface that pops out from the top of your iPhone display. The dedicated Siri app will also appear on your home screen.

Not every iPhone that can run iOS 27 will support Siri AI. You'll need an iPhone 15 Pro or later, including the new iPhone 18 Pro models.

Adjust the look of Liquid Glass

Introduced with iOS 26, Apple's Liquid Glass is here to stay. But iOS 27 makes the not-always-beloved interface a little bit easier to tweak to your liking.

From Settings, tap Appearance, followed by Liquid Glass. On the next screen, you see an image of Apple Park beneath a search field; just below that is a slider. You can then slide it to the left to make the search filed look more transparent, while sliding to the right adds more contrast between on-screen controls and content.

Any adjustments you make will be reflected once you leave Settings and resume using your iPhone.

Get info from Siri directly from the Camera

The Camera app in iOS 27 now offers a Siri mode alongside the standard Photo and Video toggles where you can point your camera at an object, touch a button and get information about what Siri sees. I've used the feature to look up the specific name of hardware items so that I can ask the clerk at the store to help me find the right part; Siri can also let me know about different cat breeds.

This is essentially an update to the Visual Intelligence feature that was available previously on iPhones that supported Apple Intelligence. It's a much better experience in iOS 27.

Have Siri organize your Safari tabs

You've been able to group tabs together in the iOS version of Safari for a while now, but up until iOS 27, the burden of doing that has fallen on your shoulders. If you've got an iPhone capable of supporting Safari AI, though, iOS 27 lets you shift some of the responsibility to your on-device assistant.

Within the Safari app, tap the overlapping windows icon next to the URL/search field, and then select the filter button at the top of the screen. (It's the one that features three lines stacked on top of each other.) Select Organize Tabs, and choose the Automatically Create Topics option. Safari will then group related tabs together in a more easy-to-manage window.

For instance, I've got a number of open tabs to articles about college football for a project I'm working on. Safari has automatically grouped those together into a College Sports for quick access.

Get better search results in Mail

Finding older emails on the iPhone used to be a hit-or-miss affair, but matters seem to have improved in iOS 27 Mail thanks to a new ranking system. According to Apple, relevant results now appear at the top of your messages, and you can further refine searches to drill down to the result you need.

As an example, when I type "Disneyland" into Mail's search field, my top results include email about a trip I previously took but also issues of an email newsletter I write that mentioned the park.

Set different alarm and alert volumes

In previous versions of Apple's iPhone software, alarms and alerts arrived at the same volume as ringtones. That's changed in iOS 27.

Head to the Sounds & Haptics screen in Settings where you'll find toggles for Alarms and Volumes as well as Alerts and System Sounds. Turning those toggles on lets you independently adjust volumes. I like my alarms to be good and loud, for example, but I find the pings from incoming alerts to be a bit distracting. So I've lowered the volume on those.

One note about changing the Alarms and Timers volume: It won't affect the volume of the Wake-Up Alarm if you've opted to enable that feature in the Clock app.

Pin camera controls to the top of the Camera screen

If you've got a go-to camera control that you're always adjusting, iOS 27 lets you make sure that it's always close at hand. You're able to pick and choose the controls that sit above the camera frame for easier access.

In the Camera app, tap the Camera Control button — the stack of six dots that sits next to the shutter button. From there, click Edit and then select the tools you always want at the top by tapping the plus button next them. There's space for six controls, and tapping the minus button removes the ones you don't need to be readily available.

As an example, I've added the aspect ratio control — represented by the [4:3] icon — so that I can easily change the size of my shots without having to dig into the Camera app's controls.

Shift the perspective of your photos

Smarter AI tools in iOS 27 bring new editing features, and one of the best is Reframe, which allows you to move around the angle of a photo to produce a more striking shot. It's a great tool if you want to take some of the guesswork out of framing your subject since you can always adjust things after the fact.

In the Photos app, go into editing mode and tap the AI Tools Icon on the bottom of the screen. Reframe is one of the three AI-powered options available along with Reframe and Clean Up. (More on that latter tool in a moment.)

Once you select reframe, you'll be instructed to drag your finger around the screen to readjust the perspective of your shot. The built-in AI takes over from there, shifting things around and cleaning things up for a different take on your original image — like shifting the angle on the statue in the above example.

Explore changes to Shared Albums

Apple has made a number of changes to the iCloud Shared Albums feature in iOS 27, highlighted by the fact that even people without an Apple account or device can now contribute to your album. That lets Android and Windows users join in on the fun. If you prefer, you can also create temporary shared albums that disappear after 30 days — ideal for short-term collaborations.

Photos and videos in Shared Albums can now appear at full resolution, though that counts against the iCloud storage limits of whoever owns the album. There are more ways to react to photos as well, thanks to new emojis.

Have Siri help you out while cooking

Among the benefits of having smarter AI on-board your iPhone is that Siri now can recognize what's on your screen and answer questions about it. If you're like me and cook a lot of recipes you find online, you'll see the benefit of this new capability right away.

Now, when I forget how much of an ingredient I need to use or what temperature the oven needs to be, I don't have to scroll across my iPhone screen with my food-covered fingers to find the right spot on the open Safari tab. I simply say, "Hey Siri, how much celery do I need to chop," and I can ask follow-up questions like "And how much red onion" without stumping the assistant.

Put your Apple TV remote on your iPhone's home screen

You probably knew that you could operate your Apple TV from the Control Center on your iPhone via a handy icon. But iOS 27 takes that functionality out of the Control Center and moves it to the Home screen.

If you swipe down from the Home screen and search for Remote, you see a remote icon appear in the search results. Press it and hold, and you'll be able to drag it straight to wherever you want it on your home screen, meaning that controlling your set-top box is simply a tap away.

Use Siri to create a shortcut

Shortcuts is a powerful app that a lot of us don't take advantage of for the simple reason that building automations step by step can be a bit intimidating. iOS 27 removes some of that barrier by letting you describe the shortcut you want, and having Siri build it for you.

Just launch the Shortcuts app, tap the plus button at the bottom of the screen and either type or dictate your idea for a shortcut in the field provided, whether it's to text someone your ETA when you leave work or to email and then delete screenshots the moment you take them. Siri might ask you a few follow-up questions, but the grunt work of piecing your shortcut together happens entirely in the background.

Check out Siri's understanding of personal context

One of the big improvements in Siri AI is that it understands your personal context — but what does that mean exactly? In essence, it means that your on-device assistant knows the things that are on your phone and can use that knowledge to provide relevant answers and actions.

I have an entry in the Notes app where I jot down the names of nearby restaurants I want to try. Searching through Notes to find that particular entry might prove difficult, especially if I've created a lot of other new notes since my last addition. In iOS 27, I can simply ask Siri to "show me the note that includes Oakland restaurants," and the assistant can track down exactly what I'm looking for.

Have Siri create Calendar entries

Now that Siri's picked up new smarts for iOS 27, it's a lot easier to create events in the Calendar app. All you have to do is speak naturally like you would to a real-world assistant, and Siri will carry out what you ask.

For instance, to block out time in the Calendar app, all I have to say is something along the lines of "Create an event where we'll be recording a podcast for two hours on October 17, and it starts at 7 p.m." Siri will put that event on my calendar, saving me the trouble of having to enter it manually. I may have to go in and tweak particulars, like people I want to invite or what calendar the event is assigned to, but just to be able to create the initial event with plain language is a real time-saver.

Explore iOS 27's new child safety features

iOS 27 also delivers an extensive overhaul to Apple's parental control tools, including a setup assistant that helps parents decide on which apps and websites their kids can access. The existing App Limits feature has been rechristened Time Allowances, with parents determining how long kids can spend in Games, Entertainment, and Social Media apps, with the ability to fine-tune those limitations for different days of the week.

To me, the standout additions to Apple's parental controls include Ask to Browse, which lets children ask permission via the Messages to access websites. It's essentially an extension of the existing Ask to Buy feature for downloading apps. I also like new streamlined controls in the Family settings that allow you to pause device use or allow unlimited usage without having to dig deep into the controls you've set up.

One note about the revamped parental controls — every device you own has to be running the latest software from Apple for the new features to appear. That includes Macs and iPads, which need to be upgraded to macOS 27 and iPadOS 27, respectively.

Better transitions between Wi-Fi and cellular

iOS 27 focuses on a lot of under-the-hood improvements, which can be hard to quantify. But there's one change you should notice right away if you've ever been using your iPhone just as you leave the reach of your home Wi-Fi network. The updated iPhone software promises more seamless switching between Wi-Fi and cellular networks.

And believe me — that's something I've noticed. Prior to iOS 27, I was always reluctant to look up directions from the passenger seat as my wife and I pulled out the driveway for fear that the activity beginning on our home Wi-Fi would hang the moment we turned the corner. Thanks to iOS 27, the switchover to my carrier's network is a lot less jarring.

Customize how long you share location in Find My

Find My sees a few changes thanks to iOS 27, including some interface tweaks. But the biggest enhancement expands how long you can share your location with other people.

In past versions of the app, you could share a location with somebody for an hour, a day or indefinitely. iOS 27 lets you fine-tune that, giving you the power to adjust the days, hours and minutes in which you share location. Just select Custom from the menu that appears when you go to share a location with a contact.

In addition, Find My gains the ability to hide your location from anyone whom you've set to share with indefinitely. The person on the other end won't know that your sharing status has been disabled; they'll just be unable to get your current location for however long you remain hidden.

Use multiple iPhone cameras during a FaceTime call

iOS 27 adds dual capture capabilities to FaceTime so that you can chat face-to-face with someone using your iPhone's front camera while the rear camera reveals whatever you’re seeing to the person on the other end of the conversation. You'll need an iPhone 17 or later to take advantage of the new feature, but it adds another dimension to video chats.

To use Dual Capture, just tap your tile during a FaceTime call, and hit the Flip button. By default, both the front and rear cameras on the iPhone will start showing images. The person on the other end of the call will see what the rear camera is capturing, while the front camera's view of your face will shrink to a smaller square. If you only want to share the rear camera's video, tap the icon featuring a person with a slash through it.

Use Siri in the Magnifier app

Siri's ability to see what your iPhone's camera sees doesn't stop with the Camera app. It extends to Magnifier, too, as you can ask the assistant for more details on whatever it is you're magnifying. This is great news for anyone with impaired vision or if you're me and don't have your reading glasses handy.

Say I'm out in a restaurant and can't see what I need to pay thanks to a combination of tiny print on the bill and dim lighting. I can use the Magnifier app to get a look at the bill and ask Siri for the total.

Find out what's trending in Maps

Most of us use Maps to get from one place to another, but Apple has been building up tools that help you discover new places in its mapping app. iOS 27's contribution to this effort takes the form of Local Lists, which pulls from map usage data to show you what's trending around you and what you might want to explore.

Finding the Local Lists feature is as easy as typing "Local Lists" into the search field on Maps. In my area, there are guides for nearby cites that highlight kid-friendly spots, local attractions and lots of restaurants.

In fact, restaurants seem to be a big focus for Local Lists, with the latest version of Maps even adding a Trending Restaurants carousel to its search tab. To find it, just scroll down the screen below your recent searches and suggested places.

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Apple Wallet has been a fantastic tool for storing virtual copies of all the credit cards, tickets and passes you'd normally have to keep in a physical wallet. But sadly, it's only been useful so long as there's official support for the pass or ticket.

Thankfully, the recent release of iOS 27 has fixed that flaw, and brought Apple Wallet back up to parity with Google Wallet. You see, Android devices have been able to create their own custom passes for the past two years, which can be incredibly useful in a lot of situations.

I know the pain of heading to Costco, only to realize that I left my wallet (with my membership card) on the counter. Had I been able to load a backup into Apple Wallet, I wouldn't have had to abandon my quest to stock up on cheap batteries and replace my worn-out jeans.

The same goes for forgetting my loyalty card at the movie theater, and having to cling to my receipt to ensure I can claim my 10% cash back. It's a surprisingly good deal, and if I'm going to get ripped off by going to the movies then I'm going to scrape back as much as I can whenever I can.

Now, thanks to iOS 27, it doesn't matter whether I leave the house with my wallet or not. I can simply open up Apple Wallet and access virtual copies of everything I've left behind.

How to make custom passes in Apple Wallet

That's all there is to it. Once your custom pass is created, you can summon it from your wallet whenever you like. It will sit in your collection of cards, and is available at the tap of your screen. Whether that's a gym membership card, a parking pass, or something else entirely.

You can probably even add entry keys that rely on QR or barcode scanners, but like virtual passports or using other digital IDs with the TSA, this should be something that you have in addition to your physical pass. Because there's a good chance that a custom virtual option is not going to be considered valid if you end up in a situation that requires proper identification.

Still, that's not an Apple problem, it's a society and legal one. Until that gets sorted out at various levels of power, this is probably the best we can hope for in terms of emptying your wallet into your phone for the time being.

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• I tested the iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max side-by-side: Is it time to upgrade?
• Don't rush into a new phone plan without checking their service first — these phone carriers offer free trials
• iOS 27 finally fixed my biggest pet peeve when texting Android users

Today (Oct. 9), AT&T announced pre-order savings for the iPhone Duo that start on Friday, October 16. Apple's first foldable iPhone was announced during Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

The new iPhone Duo starts at $1,999, making it one of the more expensive folding phones, including compared to the rival $1,899 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. As of this writing, only Xfinity has announced preorder deals for the iPhone Duo. So, AT&T's offer might be your best bet to save a couple bucks for now.

AT&T is offering new and existing customers up to $1,200 off the iPhone Duo with an eligible trade-in. If you're switching to AT&T, you can get up to $800 toward your current device balance.

Additionally, AT&T is offering savings of $200 per line if you order online.

Again, AT&T pre-orders start on Friday, Oct. 16, with the iPhone Duo being available the following Friday on Oct. 23.

If you're not on AT&T or not looking to switch, general pre-orders will open at 5:00 P.T. on Friday, October 16 across all major markets via the Apple Store. Here's how you can secure your pre-order, with tips to avoid missing out.

Quick Links

• iPhone Duo: up to $885 w/ trade-in @ Apple Store
• iPhone Duo: preorder October 16 @ T-Mobile
• iPhone Duo: waived activation fee @ Verizon
• iPhone Duo: preorder October 16 @ AT&T
• iPhone Duo: up to $1,000 off w/ trade-in @ Xfinity Mobile

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Duo — I ranked the 9 biggest reasons to buy Apple’s first foldable
• MacBook Ultra and iPad mini 8 tipped for October 27 Apple event — here's what we know
• 10 Apple products we expect at the 'Welcome Home' event on Oct. 13 — HomePad, Apple TV 4K and much more

Protecting your personal data usually means tweaking phone settings and managing passwords, but keeping nosy eyes off your doorstep requires a different kind of cleanup. Apple Maps makes it surprisingly easy for anyone to scout out your neighborhood and view your home down to the window frames.

Leaving high-resolution imagery of your property online gives potential burglars, nosey neighbors, and strangers a clear view of your entry points, security setup, and personal belongings.

Provided Apple's Look Around feature covers your area, scrubbing your residence off the map in Apple Maps is pretty straightforward. Here's how to check if your location is eligible and blur your home, plus what to do if you need an alternative method.

How to request a blur via email

You can also request a property blur directly by emailing mapsimagecollection@apple.com. Be sure to include your full name, the exact address, and a description or screenshot of your property from Apple Maps.

This email route is a handy alternative if the in-app reporting feature isn't working for you or if you are submitting the request from a non-Apple device.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to remove your home address from the internet — 6 ways to protect your privacy
• Check your iPhone right now: 3 privacy settings you need to change immediately
• iOS 27 has a hidden anti-scam setting — here’s why every iPhone user should turn it on

iPhone Duo pre-orders kick off October 16th, so it’s only a matter of days before you can buy Apple’s first foldable phone. But if you’re on the fence about whether this device is worth $2,000, there are some pretty strong reasons to be an early adopter.

I’ve already covered — and ranked — all of the biggest iPhone Duo trade-offs, and it’s generated a pretty big response on YouTube in particular. But for the moment let’s look past things like the lack of a telephoto camera and Face ID, or the heavier weight versus the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Here are the biggest reasons to get the iPhone Duo.

1. Two devices in one (9/10)

The iPhone Duo is essentially like having a compact phone and tablet in one device. The 5.4-inch cover display is small enough to use with one hand but wide enough to type comfortably with two hands.

But the biggest reason to get the iPhone Duo is that 7.6-inch main display, which enables a much more immersive experience, whether you’re watching movies or shows, playing games or running two apps side by side.

The wide aspect ratio is great for binge watching or reviewing spreadsheets, but when you flip the device around to portrait mode, you get a taller ratio for doing things like surfing the web or reading ebooks.

2. Truly optimized apps (8.5/10)

During the Apple September event, Apple made a point of showing off apps that are truly optimized for a foldable experience. This includes Slack with a dual-pane layout, as well as Zoom for video calls. Slack on Android phones still looks like a blown up phone app.

The Netflix app also looks slick on both the cover display and the main display of the iPhone Duo with an immersive viewing experience, and a laptop-like mode for when you want to watch shows while doing other things.

Based on all of the work that Apple has been doing with developers behind the scenes, I’m fairly confident that there will be a lot of great third-party iPhone Duo apps on day one.

3. Ultra durable (8/10)

The iPhone Duo has a durability rating of IP68, which means that it’s water resistant but also dust resistant. Samsung’s latest foldables are only water resistant. So you definitely wouldn’t want to bring the Fold 8 or Fold 8 Ultra to the beach.

In addition, the iPhone Duo has a Grade 5 titanium frame and hinge cover, which is more durable than aluminum. Plus there’s a scratch-resistant coating on the inner display and Ceramic Shield on the front and back.

4. Side-by-side multitasking — finally! (7.5/10)

It’s overdue, but the iPhone Duo is the first iPhone that lets you run apps side by side with Split View. And it’s super simple to launch a second app. You just swipe the app icon up and then place the app on the left or right side of the screen. Switching apps is just as intuitive; you simply swipe up on the bottom bar to bring up the home screen.

As you might expect, you can easily drag and drop content from one window to another, such as adding a photo to a text message. You can even run two instances of the same app, such as Safari. Just keep in mind that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 can run three apps at once, plus floating windows on top.

5. Multiple Modes (7/10)

Apple has really thought through the versatility of the iPhone Duo with use cases and offering multiple modes. For instance, if you set the iPhone Duo down with the inner display open you’ll see a Standby mode with a clock on the left and digital photo frame on the left. Put the Duo in tent mode and it instantly turns into an alarm clock.

Basically, Apple made the software smart enough to adapt based on the position of the device and the angle of the display. The iPhone Duo also has a laptop-like mode, which lets you more easily take video calls. And certain apps will display controls on the bottom and the content up top, such as Netflix.

It's worth noting that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra has similar flexibility with its Flex mode, but it doesn't go as far as what Apple is doing here. And the regular Fold 8 doesn't have a Flex mode at all.

6. Nano-texture display with less visible crease (6.5/10)

This feature is dividing people even before the iPhone Duo is released but on balance I think it’s a good thing. The nano-texture layer on the main display is made from a custom polymer that’s rated to be 40% stiffer than other materials used on other foldables. But it also significantly cuts down on glare. In fact, during my hands-on time, I noticed that the crease on the iPhone Duo was barely visible.

To be clear, you can very much still see the crease at certain angles, but when viewing content it almost disappeared. The trade-off is that some are saying that the nano-texture coating makes the display less glossy and therefore less vibrant. We’ll see what happens when I test the Duo.

7. Reimagined iOS for foldables (6/10)

Apple didn’t just slap iOS 27 on the iPhone Duo and call it a day. It redesigned the OS so that it better fits with the foldable design. For example, everything from the Lock Screen controls and the Dock on the Home Screen to app navigation now appears on the right side to make more room for content.

Apple also redesigned the status bar, which shows Wi-Fi and cellular strength along with battery status in a more compact area. And with the multiple modes I mentioned earlier, iOS 27 adapts to the the way the device folds or if it’s turned on its side or flipped over.

8. A20 Pro performance with vapor chamber (5/10)

The A20 Pro chip is not really a reason to buy the iPhone Duo, but it is the fastest chip we’ve ever tested in a phone based on our benchmark testing. So the iPhone Duo should be the fasted foldable phone on the market when it launches, at least until we see devices shipping with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6.

Plus, unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra, the iPhone Duo has a vapor chamber for cooling. So Apple’s foldable should offer better sustained performance than other Android foldables sold in the U.S.

9. New ways to take photos (4.5/10)

For me, it doesn’t make up for the lack of a telephoto zoom, but it’s nice that the iPhone Duo gives you new ways to capture images versus the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. With Smart Take, for example, you can prop up the iPhone Duo and it will automatically take photos as subjects are posing in the frame.

With Duo Preview, you can show the live preview of what you’re shooting on the outer display so others can help make sure they’re looking your best before you press the shutter. Plus, just like other foldables, you can take a selfie with the higher-resolution 48MP rear camera.

Bottom line

The iPhone Duo is definitely not for everyone at $2,000. But at least now you have a better sense of why you might want to consider one. I get a feeling that a lot of people are simply going to pre-order because this is Apple’s first foldable, but it’s clear that they’ve really thought through everything from the design and software to the durability and app experiences. Stay tuned for my full rated iPhone Duo review to get all of the pros and cons.

The iPhone Duo has certainly got people talking (read: feverishly debating). While some are already forming an orderly line to pre-order Apple’s first foldable phone, others have been vocal in their criticism of Apple's first foldable phone and what you don't get for $2,000.

Tom’s Guide’s global editor-in-chief Mark Spoonauer broke down some of the trade-offs of the Duo in this YouTube video, pulling out the Duo’s camera, lack of Face ID, weight, battery life and price as areas of concern. In response, 329 viewers left comments on the video, and 176 commented on our related Reddit post.

For some, certain specs seem to be dealbreakers, while others expressed they’re excited to become day one adopters of the new tech regardless.

Let’s dig into the crowd reaction – and please do leave your thoughts in the comments and poll below.

“Just because it's $2k doesn't mean it needs top shelf cameras”

Mark pointed out the Duo doesn’t have a telephoto camera, so zoomed photos will look blurrier than those from the iPhone 18 Pro Max (which by the way costs $800 less and also has the new variable aperture). The price-to-camera quality equation is definitely one that feels a little off, and it was this point that attracted the most opinions from our YouTube viewers and Redditors.

@EricK-vw5wh was one viewer who wasn’t too concerned by the camera, writing, “I think people need to remember that these things are smartphones, not dedicated cameras. Nowadays people act like these are digital cameras that just happen to have cellular phone feature if you want it. Just because it's $2k doesn't mean it needs top shelf cameras. You want that, get the Pros, that's what they are made for. Folding phones are meant for productivity and content consumption.”

But @FairchildV countered that the camera was an issue for them, replying, “It doesn’t need ‘top shelf’ cameras. But, I fully expect a pro camera for $2,000… For people that actually care about their photo and video quality, this could be a huge deal breaker unfortunately.”

Over on Reddit, FarBack5807 wrote, “For anyone who zooms in on things, the lack of telephoto means the duo is considerably worse at 25% the resolving power of the 17 Pro, and even worse than 14 Pro at 66% of its resolving power.”

Similarly, Throwtheamiibosaway wrote, “I kinda like the Duo. But I’m not paying top dollar for a worse camera. That’s the biggest issue.”

Rounding off the camera debate, I found this comment from @itsacookie1 on YouTube a very sensible reality check: “I think we all want the security of having the best cameras in our pocket but most of us just don't take photography seriously or post to social media enough that it matters. It's a hard choice or trade-off because we all have been conditioned to more money = better cameras as this is how ‘pro’ or bigger phones have been marketed for decades.”

It's worth mentioning at this point that when asked simply 'Would you buy the iPhone Duo?', some 63% of respondents (or 3,429 people) replied that yes, they would. Are you tempted by the Duo, or one of the other new iPhones?

Is Touch ID even a downgrade, really?

The Duo lacks Face ID as there wasn’t physically space in the form factor for the required sensors. Instead, users need to use Touch ID to unlock the phone — a tech that was phased out with the advent of the iPhone X. But is the older tech necessarily a downgrade?

@Tejae504 posted a comment that I can relate to, “I [would rather have] Touch ID when I get up at 6am my phone doesn’t recognize me 😂”

Indeed, if you’ve ever had a bad hair day, dabbled in a new makeup look or dared to try unlocking your phone while wearing sunglasses, you’ll know that Face ID isn’t always seamless. Then again, as we approach gloves season I remember that neither was Touch ID.

Another viewer unperturbed by the manual unlocking was @chocoloco9985, who said, “For lack of Face ID, yeah it sucks, but if I can unlock it with my Apple Watch I don’t think it will be that big of an issue.”

Many commenters pointed out that Apple Watch wearers will barely notice the "downgrade," as their watches will unlock the phone automatically anyway.

On the other hand, @g0nk wrote, “No FaceID is my dealbreaker. My arthritic fingers can't touch that sensor every single time.”

Nobody needs 45-hour battery life anyway

Looking into the battery life, Mark pointed out that Apple estimates the iPhone Duo is good for 24 hours of ‘normal use’ vs the Pro Max’s 30 hours.

This gap widens when it comes to video playback, when the Duo’s stamina is rated at 31 hours vs the 18 Pro Max’s 45.

Could this become an irritation for some users, especially as this is a phone marketed for multitasking?

@dlsme wrote on this point, “Anyone with a job or that needs rest is never going to use the phone for a video playback for that many hours. It’s a superficial first world problem, people are just looking for something to be upset about.”

2 for the price of 1

A lot of viewers really did take the trouble to use our advice to help weigh up their next upgrade decision. One thoughtful comment from @Heartlessgamer_3242 said, “Unless you take pictures all the time, especially zoomed in, or are some kind of photographer using the Apple iPhone, the iPhone Duo is not a downgrade as a whole compared to the Pro/Pro Max.

"If you care only about the camera, then yes. But for someone like me that multitasks on the device and watches a lot of content and movies, I prefer the bigger screen and dual screen. And if not using the dual screen, I can close it and still have an active screen to use on the fly. I also don’t want an iPad and iPhone if now we have both in one.”

Whether the compromises are worth it for a device that can potentially replace two for the price of one is, in a nutshell, the decision facing iPhone Duo purchasers.

As Apple’s first foray into foldables, it’s not perfect, but as @out_of_focus_foto simply said, “I regret not buying the first iPhone when it was released. First gen isn’t that big of a deal.”

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

More from Tom's Guide

• Planning to buy the iPhone Duo? Here's how to get one on pre-order day
• I 'downgraded' my iPhone 15 Pro Max to a regular iPhone 17 — and I have zero regrets
• You don't need the iPhone Duo — this iPad mini Prime Day deal is the reason why

In my last face-off, I drilled down into all the differences between the iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro Max. There wasn’t a huge difference across the two-year gap separating them — but now I’m going further by taking the iPhone 15 Pro Max for a spin.

As I’ve said numerous times before, three years is the bare minimum you should wait before thinking about upgrading to a new phone. That’s exactly what I’m tackling in this iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max face-off, where the differences on paper are much more substantial.

But looking at specs doesn't give a clear-cut indication of how much of a difference three years actually makes. That's why I’m going to show you whether there’s enough of a generational leap to justify making the switch.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Specifications

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Cameras

Just as before, camera performance is tops on my list because it’s the feature I rely on most. The iPhone 18 Pro Max clearly benefits from having the latest hardware — a 48MP triple-camera system complete with a mechanical variable aperture on the main lens. Other notable advantages for the iPhone 18 Pro Max include a wider maximum f/1.48 aperture that inherently allows more light to hit the sensor, as well as the wider field of view from its 18MP Center Stage front camera.

Beyond the hardware, the appeal of the iPhone 18 Pro Max lies in its Pro Controls for granular exposure adjustments, along with significantly improved video modes. For example, it can record 4K footage at 120fps and includes pro-video features I crave, such as Log recording, Cinematic mode, smart focus tracking, ProRes support, and Audio Mix.

From both a hardware and feature standpoint, the iPhone 18 Pro Max makes a compelling argument — enough to make an upgrade seem like an open-and-shut case. But hold that thought until you see the side-by-side snapshots below.

Honestly, I was hoping for a much wider divide between their camera performances, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max holds its ground in most situations. Under ideal conditions, the 15 Pro Max’s main and ultrawide cameras produce nearly the same results as the iPhone 18 Pro Max. You can see this in the daytime shots around Bryant Park, the macro flower close-up, the panorama, and even in how both phones neutralize harsh highlights.

Interestingly enough, the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 12MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom actually delivers sharper results on the apartment building graffiti shown above. While the iPhone 18 Pro Max holds a clear advantage at 4x, the 15 Pro Max pulls out finer detail at 8x and 40x zoom by leaning on its dedicated telephoto shooter.

Where I do see a substantial leap is with the iPhone 18 Pro Max’s 18MP Center Stage camera. It captures noticeably crisper definition and provides a wider field of view, making it far better suited for group selfies.

Lastly, the iPhone 18 Pro Max has the edge in low-light performance — but primarily in near-pitch-black settings. In the gallery shots along the beach boardwalk, there’s very little difference between them because ambient glow from the street lamps illuminates the scene.

But in my backyard where there’s virtually no ambient light, the iPhone 18 Pro Max clearly boosts shadows to draw out details that are otherwise lost on the 15 Pro Max.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Battery and charging

Because it’s a physically bigger device, Apple packs a much larger 5,391 mAh battery inside the iPhone 18 Pro Max — compared to 4,422 mAh in the 15 Pro Max. That translates to roughly a 22% increase in battery capacity, but our test results show that Apple has also made massive strides in power efficiency.

In our custom battery drain test, the iPhone 18 Pro Max clocked in at 18 hours and 27 minutes, which blows past the 15 Pro Max’s 14 hours and 2 minutes. That’s a 4-hour and 25-minute difference — a 31.5% improvement in endurance — that I credit largely to the efficiency of the A20 Pro chip. In day-to-day use, the difference is night and day.

Charging is also significantly faster across the board, both wired and wireless. In just 15 minutes over USB-C, the iPhone 18 Pro Max reaches a 53% charge, compared to just 20% on the 15 Pro Max.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Performance

Both phones feel fast and fluid during everyday tasks, thanks to their 120Hz ProMotion displays. But for more processor-intensive workloads — like editing 4K footage or playing demanding games — the newer A20 Pro chip holds a decisive advantage over the older A17 Pro. Simply put, there is no contest.

Looking at our Geekbench 6 scores, there's nearly a 2,000-point spread in single-core performance and a massive 5,800-point gap in multi-core. That translates to a 70.4% leap in single-core speeds for the iPhone 18 Pro Max and an even larger 84.2% boost in multi-core muscle.

While those CPU gains are substantial, the iPhone 18 Pro Max’s graphics performance is where the generational gap truly widens. In 3DMark’s Solar Bay Unlimited test, the iPhone 18 Pro Max averaged 67.9 fps, making the 15 Pro Max’s 23.9 fps look choppy by comparison. That represents an astonishing 184.1% leap in graphics capability — a gain bolstered by the 18 Pro Max's redesigned internal vapor chamber, a cooling advantage the iPhone 15 Pro Max lacks entirely.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Software and AI

I won’t spend too much time hashing out their software and AI features because they’re practically identical — save for a couple of details. That’s the beauty of Apple supporting older flagships with its latest platform update: iOS 27. The release brings the older iPhone 15 Pro Max to near-complete parity with the iPhone 18 Pro Max, delivering the Liquid Glass interface, refreshed customization tools, and core system tweaks.

The most visible functional difference comes down to the Dynamic Island and how many Live Activities it can handle simultaneously. Thanks to the redesigned, slimmer cutout on the iPhone 18 Pro Max, it accommodates up to three Live Activities — compared to just two on the 15 Pro Max.

Under the hood, the iPhone 18 Pro Max packs 12GB of RAM, granting it extra processing muscle for the most demanding, on-device Siri AI workflows. In day-to-day practice, however, these distinctions hardly tip the scales, as the iPhone 15 Pro Max retains full access to the broader Apple Intelligence suite.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Displays

Beyond the bump from a 6.7-inch panel to a larger 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR display with the iPhone 18 Pro Max, the biggest upgrade here comes down to raw outdoor visibility. In our display testing, the iPhone 18 Pro Max hit a peak brightness of 2,326 nits — compared to the 1,550 nits measured on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

That works out to a massive 50.06% increase in peak brightness, which is instantly noticeable when I’m outside with the sun glaring down on their screens. While the 15 Pro Max is still visible, the extra brightness just makes the 18 Pro Max much easier on the eyes.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Verdict

The evidence points to an obvious conclusion: the iPhone 18 Pro Max delivers a substantial enough upgrade to convince at least some iPhone 15 Pro Max owners to make the leap — even with Apple asking $100 more for its flagship.

From the raw muscle of the A20 Pro chip and a battery that lasts more than four hours longer, to its upgraded camera hardware and professional shooting tools, this comparison proves that three years remains the sweet spot for upgrading. However, if your iPhone 15 Pro Max still offers good battery health, you can probably get by at least until Apple unveils the iPhone 20 next year.

While day-to-day photo quality remains neck and neck in most scenarios, the iPhone 18 Pro Max pulls away in other areas. Between the mechanical variable aperture on the main lens, dedicated Pro Controls, and an expanded suite of pro-grade video tools, it offers more than enough tangible upgrades to justify the jump for power users.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested the iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max side-by-side: Should you upgrade?
• 9 new movies and shows to stream this weekend on Netflix, HBO Max and more (Oct. 2-4)
• 4 ways Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 beats Apple iPhone Duo

Securing the iPhone Duo on pre-order day is going to be a battle. Between massive global interest in Apple’s first foldable and notoriously tight initial stock, opening inventory could disappear in seconds.

Pre-orders open strictly at 5:00 a.m. PT on Friday, October 16, ahead of the official October 23 launch across major international markets (with a secondary rollout starting October 30). If you want to bypass long backorder delays and ensure your foldable lands on your doorstep on day one, here's the game plan to follow.

How to guarantee your iPhone Duo before pre-order day

1. Lock in "Get Ready" on Oct 12

Don't wait for pre-order day. Four days before the drop, Apple opens its pre-order portal. Head into the Apple Store app on October 12 to pick your color, storage capacity, carrier status, and payment method ahead of time — allowing you to complete the entire purchase with a single tap the moment the clock strikes 5:00 a.m.

2. Audit your Apple Account details today

A single wrong digit will knock you out of the queue. Verify that your credit card hasn't expired, your billing address matches your bank records, and your shipping address is up to date.

3. Secure your trade-in quote early

Navigating trade-in questions during checkout adds unnecessary screens to your purchase. Get your valuation sorted in advance to bypass those extra steps on drop morning. The 14-day clock to return your old phone only starts once your iPhone Duo is physically delivered.

4. Confirm your financing options

Apple retired its legacy Upgrade Program in mid-2026. If you financed your last device, check your account status now to see if you qualify for Apple Card Installments, carrier options, or a direct purchase.

5. Load the app on multiple devices

The Apple Store app usually goes live faster than the desktop website. Have the app open and ready on your phone, but keep a desktop browser open on Apple’s site as a secondary backup just in case.

6. Stick strictly to your saved setup

Once pre-orders open, load your saved configuration and hit pay. Avoid changing your color choice or storage size at the last second — altering your basket re-queries Apple’s live inventory systems and risks pushing back your shipping date.

7. Pivot to in-store pickup

If shipping dates start sliding into November during checkout, select local Apple Store pickup instead. Retail stores receive dedicated inventory allocations completely separate from warehouse delivery stocks, making it the ultimate safety net for launch-day possession.

8. Check launch-morning store stock

If you miss iPhone Duo pre-orders entirely, physical Apple Stores routinely save dedicated stock for launch day walk-ins on October 23. Check Apple's online store tracker early on launch morning to grab unallocated local store stock.

Once you've prepped your iPhone Duo pre-order, check out Amazon's lineup of iPhone Duo cases and accessories so your foldable is protected and ready to go on day one.

More from Tom's Guide

• iOS 27 has a hidden anti-scam setting — here’s why every iPhone user should turn it on
• There's a new shortcut in iOS 27 I’m using every single day — here's where to find it
• 4 new iOS 27 features that turn Apple Notes into a productivity powerhouse

Every few years, I get trapped in the classic Apple upgrade loop. Three years ago, I jumped up from an iPhone 12 Pro Max to a 512GB iPhone 15 Pro Max for its big screen and flagship camera specs. This year I was ready to do the same for the iPhone 18 Pro Max — until I saw the insane prices, even with trade-in values added in.

Making things urgent, my trusty iPhone was aging. Despite my best efforts, the battery health steadily declined over the years and a minor issue with the USB-C port popped up when charging it one day.

Thinking about having to pay nearly $600 for out-of-warranty repairs, $100 for a new battery, or dropping $1,000 for the latest iPhone 18 Pro Max, I decided to do something I’ve never done before: give up on the iPhone’s Pro tier altogether.

I traded in my 15 Pro Max and bought a base 256GB iPhone 17 instead. Sure, I might have given up storage space, camera features, and the screen might be smaller, but moving to a standard iPhone didn't feel like a downgrade from an older iPhone Pro model. Here’s why it was a relief to me, and my wallet.

The price conundrum

Times are tough, and with the cost of living going up in NYC, the biggest factor in my decision was the iPhone pricing. With Apple’s trade-in values, I get a lot for my old iPhone Pro model when trading it in for a base-tier iPhone 17. It almost felt like a steal.

While it would have been nice to get a new Pro iPhone again, the price didn’t make sense for my wallet. Trading in a 512GB iPhone 15 Pro Max for the same 512GB iPhone 18 Pro Max 512GB would have been $1,044 — with Apple paying me $455 in trade-in value. I had also considered the 512GB iPhone 18 Pro which would have been $944 with the same offer.

Dropping down to 256GB would have also saved me $200 from that on either model, bringing the 18 Pro Max down to $844 and the standard 18 Pro down to $744 after trade-in, but it was still steep.

I went for the iPhone 17 256GB instead, it was just $444 with the same $455 trade-in. I might have had to clean up apps and photos from my old iPhone before making the switch to 256GB, but I saved $600 compared to getting the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Or $500 vs getting the iPhone 18 Pro. Considering all the features the base iPhone 17 has to offer, this wasn’t too bad of a choice.

I still have plenty of 'Pro' features

The biggest appeal for the iPhone Pro series to me was always the bigger screen and the top-level features. As my life evolved, though, I realized that I didn’t need a huge screen. Moving away from the iPhone 15’s Pro Max 6.7-inch screen to iPhone 17’s base 6.3-inch screen was surprisingly seamless to me, and my new phone still felt like an iPhone Pro.

Those 0.4 inches in screen real estate didn’t make a huge difference for me. With super thin bezels on the iPhone 17, I still see the same content on screen in social media and work apps that I had before. And even better, the base iPhone 17 features ProMotion, so I got the same 120Hz refresh rates I am used to from my old phone.

I even got display upgrades! With the iPhone 17 topping out at 3,000 nits vs the 2,000 nits, my new phone was brighter and better to use outdoors. The new ceramic Ceramic Shield 2 screen also gives the screen better durability, since I go for a case and screen protector free look.

Performance and battery life improvements were there, too. The new A19 chip also made things feel snappier than before. And despite the iPhone 17 having a slightly smaller 3,692 mAh battery against the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 4,422 mAh, I am now able to charge my phone only once every two days, something I never was able to do with my 15 Pro Max’s degraded battery.

I never realized that the base model iPhone could bring this much performance, display tech, and battery optimization from an older Pro phone, it doesn't just feel like a great value, it still feels like a Pro-level experience.

The camera is just fine

My biggest reason for always buying a Pro iPhone was the extra telephoto lens. The base iPhone 17 lacks that, so I was worried that I would regret losing it, but I didn’t. In fact, the iPhone 17’s camera system was an upgrade.

Thinking back, the only times I found myself using my telephoto lens was at Mets games or other in-person events. Even then, the photo quality was not as good as a dedicated camera and it was just something I used occasionally. For everything else I do, the dual camera system on the iPhone 17 has been just as good for taking pictures for social media, product shots for work, and everyday video recording.

What's more notable to me, though, was the Center Stage front camera. Being able to tap to zoom and rotate made my Facetime calls with my long distance friends more personal. Selfie videos were much more stabilized than on my previous iPhone, and the dual capture feature has been a blast when capturing video moments around the city for my friends in other states.

You might want to make the switch, too

With Apple hiking prices across the entire iPhone lineup, trading in an older, degrading iPhone for a new base model might be your best option. You might end up like me: stepping back and considering what you truly need from a phone before buying. Not everyone needs “Pro” features, and given how capable base iPhones have become, the distinction between models is clearer than ever — so a base model might be the upgrade you didn't realize you needed.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested the iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max side-by-side: Should you upgrade?
• 9 new movies and shows to stream this weekend on Netflix, HBO Max and more (Oct. 2-4)
• 4 ways Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 beats Apple iPhone Duo

Late last week, we reported on a slew of iPhone 18 Pro Max issues, including one that affected cellular connectivity for AT&T versions of Apple's newest phone.

Unfortunately, in an update from Apple, you might need to replace an affected iPhone 18 Pro Max at the Apple Store.

Simply put, brand-new Pro Max phones were starting in SOS mode and not connecting to AT&T's network, or they were operating slowly when they did connect. AT&T acknowledged the problem and told Tom's Guide that the carrier was working with Apple on it.

"Our top priority is ensuring customers can stay connected when they need it most, and we are working with Apple to make it right," an AT&T spokesperson said.

At the time, both Apple and AT&T were encouraging iPhone 18 Pro Max owners to update to iOS 27.0.1, which was meant to fix the issue.

"We released iOS 27.0.1 earlier this week and strongly encourage all iPhone 18 Pro Max users to update now, and are also issuing a carrier settings update today," an Apple spokesperson told Tom's Guide. "These updates together are meant to help prevent this issue from occurring.”

However, if you already have an affected device without service, you can't reactivate it via software. Apple confirmed that you will need to go to an Apple or AT&T store to get a hardware replacement.

Tom's Guide was told that this issue has only been observed with the iPhone 18 Pro Max on the AT&T network. We have reached out to AT&T to confirm the information that we received from Apple.

Notably, the US version of the Pro Max is the only new iPhone that utilizes a Qualcomm cellular modem. The Pro model and iPhone Duo feature Apple's in-house-designed C2 modem. However, it's unclear whether that is causing the problems, since no other carrier appears to be affected.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple issues emergency update for millions of iPhones, iPads, and Macs — update your devices now
• Apple's HomePad reportedly coming Oct. 13 — 7 features you need to know
• 4 new iOS 27 features that turn Apple Notes into a productivity powerhouse

The iPhone 16 Pro is only a couple of years old and remains a very capable handset. But with the iPhone 18 Pro now out in the wild and offering several big performance improvements, many people may be weighing up whether it’s time to upgrade.

A good general rule of thumb is to upgrade every 3 or 4 years, but owners switching from an iPhone 16 Pro to Apple’s latest effort will immediately see a few changes. The camera island has become a camera plateau, the chassis has ditched titanium for aluminum and the Dynamic Island has noticeably shrunk.

Having used both phones, I can give you the full breakdown on how they compare in my iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro face-off. Back in 2024, the 16 Pro impressed on its debut with features like an upgraded 48MP ultra-wide camera, 4K 120 fps slow-mo videos and Audio Mix. In 2026, the 18 Pro takes things to an even higher level — albeit for an increased cost. So, is it worth making the switch?

Read my full breakdown below to find out.

iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: Specifications

iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: Price & Release

If you’re looking for pure value, then sticking with your older iPhone 16 Pro (or picking one up at a discount) is easily your best bet. When Apple launched it back in 2024, it came with a starting price of $999/£999/AU$1,799, which was the same price as the previous year.

Unfortunately, we can’t say the same for the iPhone 18 Pro. This year, Apple added an extra $100/£100/AU$100 to the price to account for rising DRAM costs as well as manufacturing costs associated with moving to a new chip architecture.

That’s slightly offset in this comparison because Apple raised base storage in 2025 from 128GB to 256GB. So although the iPhone 18 Pro is more expensive, you’re getting double the storage from the start. Regardless, if keeping costs down is your chief concern, then I’d advise holding onto the iPhone 16 Pro for another year at least — especially as Apple may have something interesting planned for the iPhone’s 20th anniversary next year.

iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: Design

Apple made some notable changes last year, and while the changes between last year’s flagship and this year’s model are hard to spot, that’s not the case if you’re comparing the 18 Pro with the 16 Pro.

The two biggest design changes are the shift away from a titanium frame back to an anodized aluminum unibody used in the past and a new camera plateau. Let’s talk aluminum first. Abandoning titanium means the iPhone 18 Pro is liable to be more affected by scratches and scuffs than the older device. Also, because it’s a softer metal, you can expect the iPhone 18 Pro to be more prone to dents or dings if you happen to drop it and you don’t have it shielded by one of the best iPhone 18 Pro cases. Apple likely anticipated this, which is why the company has added Ceramic Shield toughened glass to the back of the iPhone 18 Pro.

However, Apple is able to do a lot more optimizing by switching back to anodized aluminum. For starters, the iPhone 18 Pro is lighter at 199g / 7.03 ounces compared to the 211g / 7.44 ounces iPhone 16 Pro. Secondly, because aluminum is a better heat conductor, Apple can use the entire chassis as a heat sink to manage the thermal output of the chip. To double down on this, Apple also added a vapor chamber as part of the design change that helps the phone achieve 40% better sustained CPU/GPU performance compared to a titanium frame.

In practice, I don’t notice the difference in hand between the aluminum and titanium construction. Although titanium has that “premium” connotation, I’m happy to trade that for better performance. Time will tell if the iPhone 18 Pro chassis holds up to scratches or any potential discoloration, but for the most part I keep my phone in a case so it’s unlikely to be an issue for me.

The camera plateau makes the iPhone 18 Pro ever so slightly more top-heavy in the hand than the iPhone 16 Pro, but Apple has balanced the weight evenly so you quickly become used to the upgrade. I personally don’t think it looks as good as a camera island but, as we’ll see, the camera upgrades that necessitated it are more than worth having a design that looks like it’s copying Google’s Pixel phones.

Finally, you get a fresh set of colors for the iPhone 18 Pro that some people may appreciate. I personally really liked the Desert Titanium color on the iPhone 16 Pro, but the Burgundy colorway is also growing on me. It looks a bit more refined in the flesh and, for those who have been wanting it for years, the iPhone 18 Pro finally comes with a matte black color option.

iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: Display

The iPhone 18 Pro has the same 6.3-inch display size as the iPhone 16 Pro, with the same resolution (2622 x 1206) and pixel density (~460 ppi). However, the newer device has a higher peak brightness of up to 3,000 nits (compared to 2,000 nits on the 16 Pro), which is noticeable when outside and in direct sunlight. That's Apple's own numbers, you can see our testing results showing peak brightness with adaptive brightness switched on in the table below.

The extra brightness is made more effective by a specialized anti-reflective display coating Apple added for the 18 Pro. It reduces ambient glare and increases contrast in bright environments, and I appreciated it when I had both phones side-by-side outdoors.

As mentioned, you also get a smaller Dynamic Island on the 18 Pro that can give you up to three Live Activities at once. In practice, this didn’t impact much on my day-to-day interaction with the phone, but it’s nice to have that pill cutout made a little bit less invasive.

Otherwise, these are the exact same screens with Apple’s ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz. So although in this regard, I’d hand the win to the iPhone 18 Pro, I wouldn’t consider the screen itself a reason to upgrade from the iPhone 16 Pro.

iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: Cameras

If you’re a frequent photographer, you’re going to find the upgrades present in the iPhone 18 Pro the most tempting. For starters, Apple has upgraded the 12MP Telephoto camera from the 16 Pro into a full 48MP Fusion Telephoto camera that’s now capable of up to 8x optical zoom and 40x digital zoom.

Much of the excitement around the 18 Pro comes from mechanical variable aperture and native Pro-level controls in an iPhone for the first time. Unlike the iPhone 16 Pro, which has a main camera fixed at f/1.78, the 18 Pro can move through four physical stops: f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8, and f/4. This means you can manually open the aperture in low light for a better shot or close it down to keep multiple subjects sharp across depths.

Accessing these controls is also now possible because Apple has, for the first time with the 18 Pro, added Pro Controls to its default camera app. Photographers can now make adjustments to things like shutter speed, ISO, white balance and manual focus. And that’s just in Apple’s own camera app. The company has said that third-party app developers will be able to utilize the mechanical aperture to offer a sliding scale rather than just the four physical stops Apple has predetermined.

Meanwhile, the 12MP selfie camera on the iPhone 16 Pro is also bested by the 18MP Center Stage camera on the 18 Pro that supports tap-to-zoom, rotation and Dual Capture, where you can record from the front and rear cameras simultaneously.

Here's how the two phones stack up across a few different pictures side-by-side.

Starting with the main shooter, there's not a whole lot of difference to my eye between the two. Colors are nicely repurposed, but the iPhone 18 smooths out some of the crispness around the petals.

In this image, taken with each flagship's selfie camera, you can see the iPhone 18 Pro's 18MP Center Stage camera provides a wider field of view. While I think my skin tone is more even in the iPhone 18 Pro's shot, and the dynamic range is also better, I feel like the detail on my sweater is closer to true life on the iPhone 16 Pro image.

The two images above show the telephoto shooters on both phones. When you push the cameras to their limits — 40x on the iPhone 18 Pro and 25x on the 16 Pro — you can continue to see detail, like the outline of the brickwork around the lettering and the cracks in the wall.

The iPhone 18 Pro's zoom is obviously better but when the benefits of a digital zoom are up for debate and camera fans better informed than I will be able to speak to that. What I do think is that there's a washed out look to the iPhone 18 Pro's picture at that increased magnification that I don't see on the iPhone 16 Pro.

These are just a few small examples, and I still have more photos to take — particularly in low-light situations and experimenting with the iPhone 18 Pro's variable aperture. I'll update this article with more images when I have them, but it's clear both phones offer great dynamic range, detail, and color fidelity even before you start playing with the features.

iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: Performance

Our review process has already shown that the new 2nm A20 Pro silicon inside the iPhone 18 Pro is a step-up in performance. If you’re regularly pushing an iPhone into demanding territory — like gaming or photo editing — you’ll notice faster loading times or quicker rendering. That’s not to say the A18 Pro inside the iPhone 16 Pro is sluggish, but as our testing results below show, there’s a huge gain, especially in graphical performance.

That being said, the iPhone 16 Pro was a performance powerhouse when it launched and it still carries some muscle. While interacting with apps is fast and painless with the iPhone 18 Pro, many users will be happy with the performance still offered by the older iPhone.

iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: Battery & Charging

Apple increased the battery size for the iPhone 18 Pro to 4,056mAh over the 3,582mAh cell inside the iPhone 16 Pro. That’s a relatively minor 13% increase in capacity, but our real-world tests show that it makes a meaningful difference when you’re using the phone.

Apple was quick to point out during its keynote presentation that the iPhone 18 Pro contains the same battery longevity as the iPhone 17 Pro Max. So when you stack it up against a handset two years older, the difference is clear.

Our testing showed the iPhone 18 Pro averaged 16 hours and 17 minutes, substantially outlasting the 14 hours and 7 minutes from the iPhone 16 Pro. Not only do you get over two hours of extra power from the newer device, but you also get faster charging speeds.

The iPhone 18 Pro features upgraded 60W wired charging, nearly doubling the speed of the 16 Pro. In our tests, the 18 Pro took 15 minutes to reach 53% and 30 minutes to hit 80%. In those same timeframes, the 16 Pro charged to just 29% and 56%, respectively.

iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: Software & AI

The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro are both capable of running iOS 27 (the latter ships with it preinstalled) so there’s almost no difference in software. All of Apple’s AI tools, like Clean Up photo editing, Reframe, and interactive polls in Messages, are available on both phones.

It’s too early to definitively say that Siri AI is preferable to ChatGPT or Claude, but Apple has made Siri into a conversational assistant that answers questions and can respond to what’s on your iPhone screen. The most important thing is that it can tap into all the information on your phone to help you organize content, interact with apps and websites and respond to notifications. It’s a stepping stone towards agentic AI that anyone baked into the Apple ecosystem may appreciate.

iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: Verdict

Although I can see some very worthwhile reasons for upgrading, notably the improvements in photography controls and a performance increase for mobile gaming, I’m not convinced you need to ditch the iPhone 16 Pro for the iPhone 18 Pro.

It’s wonderful to have manual photography controls on a Pro model iPhone, as well as better battery life and the benefits of the A20 Performance. But you could look at this in the context of an “S” model iPhone. Next year will likely be an even bigger upgrade, and with the iPhone 16 Pro hitting three years old, the case for switching up at that point will be much more enticing.

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Ever since Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo last month, just about everyone who’s seen and held it hasn’t stopped raving about the hardware. Between its thin profile and that seamless-looking inner display, the iPhone Duo could really be the one to convince people to make the upgrade to a foldable phone.

Yet, there’s one particular characteristic that has been stealing the conversation: the nano-texture coating on its 7.6-inch main display. I’ve watched enough videos in the past couple of weeks to know that its visibility can wash out, or appear unviewable, if it’s slightly off-axis. On camera, it looks like a catastrophic design flaw for a premium device.

I was concerned at first, but the more I thought about this intentional design, the less worried I became. Here’s why.

Reflection versus diffusion

The matte versus glossy conversation has been around for ages, but considering how the best phones are practically all fashioned with glossy panels, coming across one that has a matte display undoubtedly evokes surprise. But honestly, it boils down to how each handles ambient light: reflection versus diffusion.

Glossy displays, like the Super AMOLED panel Samsung’s leaned on for years with its phones, offer outstanding contrast, punchy colors, ultra-wide viewing angles, and most notably deep blacks, making it hard to tell if the panel’s on or not.

While they’re certainly vibrant, the major drawback is their reflectivity. Like a mirror, glossy glass bounces light sources and causes harsh glare under direct sunlight or overhead light fixtures.

Matte screens, by contrast, incorporate a textured or chemically treated surface designed to break up incoming light rays and diffuse them.

Obviously, the immediate benefit of matte displays is glare reduction — which inherently reduces eye strain in bright environments. The trade-off is that there can be a subtle loss of contrast, slightly raised black levels in bright rooms, and reduced clarity or color pop when viewed off-axis.

It’s a proven tech

While seeing a matte finish on a flagship smartphone feels novel, this isn't Apple experimenting with a piece of new tech just to see if it works.

In fact, Apple has refined its nano-texture displays across its hardware lineup for years now, consistently proving that it can mitigate reflections far better than glossy screens — all without sacrificing display performance.

For example, my colleagues tested the nano-texture option on the M4 MacBook Pro, and it proved to be an absolute game-changer, especially under direct sunlight. Just look at the side-by-side of the two competing display technologies above. When you’re interacting directly with these devices, your vantage point is of the utmost importance — not someone’s way off to your side.

We’ve seen similar payoffs across other Apple devices, like the premium Studio Display and high-end configurations of the iPad Pro. In just about every implementation, Apple has demonstrated that its nano-texture process avoids the muddy, low-contrast haziness typical of cheap matte films.

By bringing what it has developed and refined over the years to the iPhone Duo, Apple isn’t taking an experimental gamble.

iPhone Duo will still be a test

Apple faces a steep hurdle with the iPhone Duo because it needs to convince loyalists that a matte finish is an upgrade — not a downgrade.

For nearly two decades, every iPhone has relied on glossy glass to deliver the vibrant saturation, deep blacks, and eye-popping contrast users associate with Apple's Retina displays.

I completely understand the decision Apple made here. User visibility is paramount under harsh lighting conditions, especially when there’s far more screen real estate prone to glare and reflections.

By choosing a nano-texture display, Apple ensures that visibility won’t be an issue for anyone using its upcoming foldable. That’s a big reason why I appreciate gadgets with matte screens, like TCL’s NXTPAPER 70 Pro and NXTPAPER 14 tablet.

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We praised the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max as "obscenely powerful phones" in our full review of the new Apple flagship phones, but two weeks after they hit store shelves, the newest iPhone is launching with problems.

Two separate issues are reportedly affecting cellular connectivity and the speakers on the iPhone 18 Pro models. Fortunately, one of them already appears to have a fix.

And these are separate from the already-fixed iPhone 18 Pro Face ID freezing bug.

AT&T Cellular Connectivity issues

Last week, reports of cellular connectivity issues for AT&T customers started popping up on Reddit and the Apple Support Community forums. Basically, the new iPhones, especially the iPhone 18 Pro Max, were starting in SOS mode and not connecting to the AT&T network or were operating extremely slowly if they did manage to connect.

It appeared that some of the problems were with eSIM transferring from older phones or between accounts.

AT&T acknowledged the problem via a text message sent to impacted customers. The network carrier is urging customers to update to iOS 27.0.1.

An AT&T spokesperson confirmed the message to Tom's Guide.

Here's what the text says:

"Hi, it's AT&T. Action needed: An important Apple software update for your iPhone 18 Pro Max is available. Some phones may be unable to complete calls/text/data, including to 911. Update to iOS 27.0.1 immediately — Settings > General > Software Update. Please contact AT&T or Apple if you have questions."

The spokesperson added, "Our top priority is ensuring customers can stay connected when they need it most, and we are working with Apple to make it right.”

Some users said that the iOS 27 update didn't fix the problem, but I've seen several comments suggesting that AT&T will swap your phone. Though that's proved contentious on whether Apple or AT&T will take responsibility for the swap.

Interestingly, the Pro Max is the only new iPhone featuring a Qualcomm cellular modem, while the Pro and iPhone Duo come with Apple's in-house-designed C2 modem. However, it's not clear if that's what is causing issues or if it's a software issue.

Tom's Guide was told that if you've experienced issues, you can go to an Apple or AT&T store for additional support. We've also reached out to Apple about the issue and will update this article if the company responds.

Popping speakers

The other issue that we can't confirm is a potential audio or speaker problem in the iPhone 18 Pro models.

Users on Reddit and the MacRumors forums are reporting a crackling or "popping noise" emanating from the iPhone's speakers. One theory involves the earpiece speaker. One person described the sound as if someone is "pulling out a aux cord and you hear a brief click pop noise.

To be upfront, at Tom's Guide we have both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in for testing and were unable to recreate this issue on either phone.

"When setting it up I could hear a crackling sound coming from the speakers a few times and exchanged it," one person wrote. "I set up the second one all seemed good but i heard it again. This happen to anyone else?"

Some people reported that Apple and Best Buy told them it's likely a software issue.

We've also asked Apple about the speaker popping problem and will update if the company says anything.

Other issues

We've seen other reports of Control Center freezing, springboard and widget crashes, overheating and rapid battery draining, as well as strange camera colors.

However, it appears most of the issues have been resolved thanks to iOS 27.0.1. update.

If you're experiencing any of these problems, or something totally different, let us know in the comments!

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The iPhone Duo is almost here, and there are lots of reasons to snatch up Apple’s first foldable phone come October 16 when pre-orders begin. It gives you a compact 5.4-inch phone and 7.6-inch mini tablet in one device, and it looks like an awesome option for those who want a more immersive viewing experience on the go along with dual-app multitasking — finally!

But as many in our comments have reminded me, Samsung has been making foldable phones for seven years. And that experience shows in the Galaxy Z Fold 8. It has a similar passport-style design to the iPhone Duo, but it offers some pretty unique advantages over Apple’s device and could be the best foldable phone for you. If you’re on the fence about getting an iPhone Duo or Galaxy Z Fold 8, here’s where Samsung’s device could sway you.

1. It’s considerably thinner and lighter

I only played around with the iPhone Duo for about an hour between various hands-on sessions, but it definitely feels heftier than the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Sure, the iPhone Duo is technically the “thinnest iPhone ever,” at just 5.2 mm unfolded. That’s even less than the iPhone Air’s 5.64mm. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is only 4.5 mm.

When folded, the iPhone Duo measures 11.3mm thick, compared to 9.7mm for the Fold 8. For context, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is 8.75mm thick. So while the Duo will slip into a pocket with ease, it will take up some room.

In addition, the iPhone Duo weighs 8.96 ounces or 254 grams, while the Fold 8 is a feather light 7.09 ounces (201 grams). Samsung’s foldable is even lighter than the regular iPhone 18 Pro (7.44 ounces), which has a relatively tiny 6.3 inch display compared to the 7.6-inch panel on the Fold 8.

2. You can run more apps at once

I give Apple plenty of credit for making running two apps at once so seamless and intuitive on the iPhone Duo. You just select an app and then place it on the left or right side of the display. From there you can easily create app pairs and go back to them at any time. And it’s also a cinch to switch out apps; you just swipe up and go back to the home screen — it’s like having two distinct desktops.

However, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 can let you run three tiled apps at the same time on screen. So, for example, I could have Gmail in one window, Slack in another and Spotify in another. It’s pretty cool. Plus, Samsung lets you put up to five floating windows on top. Now, eight apps at once seems like overkill to me, but it’s pretty amazing that you have that flexibility.

3. Gemini AI is more advanced

Siri AI is definitely improved in iOS 27, and it lets you do some pretty cool things on the iPhone Duo. You get better personal context understanding in all sorts of apps, including Messages and Notes. And there’s on-screen awareness, so you can say things like “add these items to my shopping list.” And I also appreciate that there’s finally a Siri mode in the camera app, so you don’t have to think about performing any shortcuts.

However, I think Galaxy AI and Gemini on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 are not only more advanced but more tailored to the foldable experience. For example, Now Nudge gives you suggestions in Messages for apps that you can open in split-screen mode, such as Calendar.

And Gemini itself is just more versatile than Siri AI. You can share your live camera video in real time and get advice and troubleshooting tips. I did this when trying to figure out how to clean out battery corrosion from an outdoor flood light.

4. It’s $100 cheaper

The Galaxy Fold 8 starts at $1,799, which is $100 less than the iPhone Duo. Plus, there are already some pretty good deals out there. At time of writing I found the Fold 8 for just $1,649 on Best Buy, which is $250 off.

I’m sure there will be plenty of iPhone Duo pre-order deals around Apple’s launch as well, so you should be able to get it at a discount. But as of now the Fold 8 is a better value.

Where the iPhone Duo wins

As good as Samsung’s foldable is, there are several ways the iPhone Duo beats the Fold 8. For example, the iPhone Duo offers an IP68 rating for durability, which means it’s protected from both water and dust. Samsung’s phone is only water resistant.

In addition, the iPhone Duo offers MagSafe built in for wireless charging, Apple Pencil support and vapor chamber cooling, which will presumably help with sustained performance for Apple’s faster A20 chip.

But Apple’s biggest advantage will likely come with software and apps. The iPhone Duo’s software can react based on the position of the hinge while the Fold 8 lacks Samsung’s Flex Mode. And I expect a sizable wave of Duo optimized apps at launch, including Slack, Netflix and Zoom.

Bottom line

The iPhone Duo clearly has the most buzz, and it makes sense because Apple is entering a new category. But I wouldn’t overlook the Galaxy Z Fold 8. It feels so light and thin that it almost seems like Samsung cheated physics. And if you like the idea of multitasking on a big screen, the Fold 8 lets you run more apps at once. And while Siri is smarter than ever, Samsung and Google are in the lead with AI features.

So which foldable has your interest? Let us know in the comments.

Around this time of year, many iPhone owners ask themselves the same question: is it time to upgrade? That’s what I set out to answer in my iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max face-off. The two-year gap between models might tempt some current 16 Pro Max owners to make the jump, even though I generally recommend waiting at least three years.

In our iPhone 16 Pro Max review, we highlighted standout additions like Camera Control, an expansive 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR display, and Apple Intelligence right out of the box — along with what turned out to be the lineup’s final 5x optical telephoto lens.

Fast-forward two years, and there are even more substantial changes detailed in our iPhone 18 Pro Max review, including a new variable-aperture main camera, the 2nm A20 Pro silicon, and next-gen Siri AI. But does a two-year cycle offer enough of a generational leap to justify retiring your trusty flagship?

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Specifications

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Cameras

Let me cut to the chase and focus on what matters most in this matchup: the cameras. There are several significant hardware leaps that make a compelling case for the iPhone 18 Pro Max. First and foremost is the new 48MP main sensor featuring a mechanical variable aperture, giving photographers physical control over how much light hits the sensor.

That means more natural, optical bokeh without relying solely on software processing, along with the creative flexibility to dial in motion blur on fast-moving subjects or stop down to keep large group shots in razor-sharp focus from front to back.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max also boasts a faster maximum f/1.48 aperture, handing the new iPhone an inherent hardware advantage in challenging low-light conditions. Up front, you get an upgraded 18MP Center Stage selfie camera, a noticeable bump over the 16 Pro Max’s 12MP shooter. Even though the telephoto reach remains at 5x optical zoom across both phones, the 16 Pro Max is clearly out-spec'd across the rest of the camera array.

Beyond the optics, the real game-changer for the 18 Pro Max is the addition of native Pro Controls — which I consider just as big an upgrade as the hardware itself. Having manual exposure, shutter speed, and focus tools baked right into the stock camera app is a massive workflow win, sparing you the hassle of jumping into third-party apps just to take full control of your shot.

Based on all the snapshots I captured, I wouldn’t say that the iPhone 18 Pro Max has an overwhelming advantage purely on performance. Well, not enough to convince me to upgrade. Here’s why.

The beachfront shot above proves my point exactly. Both cameras handle the scene admirably, balancing the highlights and shadows without blowing out the sky. They also resolve nearly identical detail throughout the frame, from the sign along the railing to the grassy dunes in the far background.

At 4x zoom, it’s pretty clear that the iPhone 18 Pro Max holds a significant advantage. Finer details around the apartment building, like the bricks and graffiti, look sharper with more definition.

But when pushed to their outer limits — 40x on the iPhone 18 Pro Max and 25x on the 16 Pro Max — both manage to clearly resolve individual bricks surrounding the graffiti. Despite relying on an older 12MP sensor, the 16 Pro Max’s 5x optical reach holds its own, delivering enough clarity to closely match the 18 Pro Max’s upgraded 48MP telephoto shooter.

In broad daylight, both primary cameras consistently impress with wide dynamic range, crisp detail, and dependable color fidelity.

Speaking of dynamic range, you can see how cleanly shadows are lifted against the bright afternoon sky in my Bryant Park test shots above.

There are subtle variances in color reproduction: red bell peppers take on a deeper, punchier tone on the iPhone 18 Pro Max, though other shades across the Whole Foods produce display look nearly identical between the two.

Macro photography is well-handled on both handsets, provided you keep the phone steady and nail your focus point. That said, I give the nod to the 18 Pro Max for producing richer saturation and sharper petal textures.

Despite drastic lighting shifts across the panoramic scene, both phones stitch the frame cleanly into a seamless-looking panorama, balancing highlights and shadow areas to ensure an even final exposure.

For selfies, the iPhone 18 Pro Max’s new 18MP Center Stage camera delivers a noticeably wider field of view, making it ideal for group shots. Beyond that expanded framing, however, there’s very little difference in detail or processing to give the newer flagship a runaway victory.

When shooting in portrait mode, Apple’s subject-separation algorithms do an exceptional job cutting me out from the background while rendering a convincing, progressive optical falloff. Notice, for instance, how my foreground arm closest to the lens softens naturally into the blur.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Battery and charging

Apple packs a substantially larger 5,391 mAh battery into the iPhone 18 Pro Max — roughly a 15% increase in capacity over the 4,685 mAh cell in the iPhone 16 Pro Max. While a bigger battery doesn’t always guarantee a proportional leap in endurance, our proprietary battery drain test proves it does yield real-world gains.

That extra capacity helped the iPhone 18 Pro Max average 18 hours and 27 minutes, outlasting the 16 Pro Max’s already impressive 17 hours and 38 minutes by nearly an hour. Still, across a two-year generational gap, that works out to a modest 4.63% improvement in overall endurance. Where you’ll notice a much more dramatic difference is charging speed.

Thanks to upgraded 60W wired charging, the iPhone 18 Pro Max nearly doubles the charging pace of its older ancestor. In just 15 minutes the 18 Pro Max reaches 53% compared to the 16 Pro Max’s 29%. By the 30-minute mark, the 18 Pro Max surges to 80%, while the 16 Pro Max trails at 55%.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Performance

Frankly, there has never been an instance where I felt an iPhone was sluggish. Still, looking across our suite of synthetic benchmarks, it is undeniable that the A20 Pro is significantly more capable than the A18 Pro.

In Geekbench 6, the iPhone 18 Pro Max clocked a single-core score of 4,741 and a multi-core mark of 12,789 — outpacing the 16 Pro Max (3,386 and 8,306) by 40% in single-core and an impressive 54% with multi-core.

While those numbers highlight a substantial CPU leap between generations, graphics testing is where the iPhone 18 Pro Max truly pulls away. Running 3DMark’s Solar Bay Unlimited test, the 18 Pro Max hit an average frame rate of 67.9 fps (17,850 score) versus the 16 Pro Max’s 28.1 fps (7,396 score) — representing a massive 141% surge in graphical performance.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Software and AI

Because both phones run iOS 27, they offer practically the same everyday experience, core tools, and customizations. That means foundational Apple Intelligence perks — including Clean Up photo editing, Reframe, and interactive polls in Messages — are available across both devices.

The arrival of Siri AI in iOS 27 signals a major shift for Apple, making the assistant far more proactive with broader automation. For instance, it intelligently suggests creating reminders or calendar entries when someone mentions an upcoming event in Messages.

I’ve also been genuinely impressed with Siri AI in CarPlay because it lets me tackle hands-free tasks I previously couldn't manage safely, such as dictating quick impressions of a vehicle I’m testing from behind the wheel and reopening that same note later to add more details.

However, the most advanced Siri AI capabilities are exclusive to the iPhone 18 Pro Max and leave the iPhone 16 Pro Max behind. Specifically, Siri’s new Expressive Voices and the upgraded advanced dictation system require hardware that only six iPhone models currently possess. The former gives Siri a far more human, conversational cadence, while the latter dramatically enhances voice-to-text accuracy by smartly filtering out vocal filler words like “ums” and “ahs”.

Ultimately, the beauty of Apple’s software ecosystem is that the core user experience remains remarkably consistent across generations — even in a two-year flagship matchup like this one.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Displays

On paper, both flagships look evenly matched. Each sports an expansive 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate that keeps animations looking buttery smooth. In the real world, however, the iPhone 18 Pro Max delivers an unmistakable visual upgrade the moment you step outdoors into direct sunlight.

In our lab testing, the iPhone 18 Pro Max reached an eye-searing 2,326 nits of peak brightness — the highest we’ve ever recorded on an iPhone, and a massive 68% jump over the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s 1,385 nits. The practical advantage is immediate: web pages, camera framing, and video playback remain effortlessly legible with far fewer washed-out reflections bouncing off the glass.

Another welcomed change is the redesigned Dynamic Island, featuring a noticeably more compact cutout on the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Apple also expanded its software utility, allowing up to three simultaneous Live Activities on the 18 Pro Max versus just two on the 16 Pro Max. While that extra Live Activity slot isn't a massive game-changer on its own, pairing it with such an immensely brighter panel makes the display a decisive win for the 18 Pro Max.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Verdict

I know firsthand how enticing a shiny new phone can be, but even with a two-year gap between these flagships, the case to ditch the iPhone 16 Pro Max for the 18 Pro Max isn’t entirely convincing. That’s even harder to stomach knowing you’ll have to pay more out of pocket thanks to a $100 price hike that pushes the iPhone 18 Pro Max to $1,299.

In my testing, the biggest areas of improvement come down to the A20 Pro’s exceptional processing muscle, along with key camera additions like the variable aperture and native Pro Controls. Beyond that, there simply isn't an overwhelming reason to justify making the leap.

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