iPhone Duo • Hacker News Board

Re: iPhone Duo

#411

Post by HPsquared » Wed, Sep 09, 2026, 6:55 PM UTC

MPSimmons wrote: post #231

Why do they insist on every new phone being bigger than the phones before them? I don't mind folding. I think it's cool, and a nice way to get a useful space. But I have big hands, and I can't use my iphone 17 now without two hands. This is even wider before unfolding. Who wants bigger phones? Who is like, "damn I wish I had a tablet that I could fold up and still barely fit in my pocket"? I want smaller phones. The…

Cars also seem to get bigger with each iteration. Then the introduce new smaller models that are the same size as the earlier model..

Re: iPhone Duo

#412

Post by b3ing » Wed, Sep 09, 2026, 6:55 PM UTC

I wonder if you can hook it up to a monitor and use it like macOS. That would be the killer phone and killer laptop, then you just need to connect a mouse in and display or tv and work wherever. But I doubt Apple will ever do that, I don’t think they are bold enough to cannibalize their laptops.

Imagine being able to hook up a small slab to a keyboard or mouse Bluetooth then connect to a monitor, tablet or hotel tv, like the Samsung Dex can do. And run full laptop/desktop applications. One can dream

Re: iPhone Duo

#413

Post by MYEUHD » Wed, Sep 09, 2026, 6:55 PM UTC

It took them only 7 years to catch up to Samsung!

10 years from now people will claim Apple invented folding smartphones or made them mainstream, just like they claim the same thing now about smartwatches.

Re: iPhone Duo

#414

Post by __aru » Wed, Sep 09, 2026, 6:55 PM UTC

spiralpolitik wrote: post #215

Definitely a v1 product but it's an interesting device. Apple is rarely first to market, but they definitely produce the device that indicates the point where there is a market. You can also see where they are going. In a couple of years, assuming it sells well there will be a Pro model with a 3x fold and better camera system. I'm guessing to make in thinner they will have to drop USB-C and come up with a flat chargi…

> Apple is rarely first to market, but they definitely produce the device that indicates the point where there is a market.

There's been a proven market for years already, but it's been less obvious in Western markets. In East Asian markets, foldables have had a very sizable market presence, especially in China.

There's other trends that are less obvious to US and western markets, such as phone crossbody straps (which are also very big in East Asia).

Re: iPhone Duo

#415

Post by dmitrygr » Wed, Sep 09, 2026, 6:55 PM UTC

ck2 wrote: post #266

I find the new watches more interesting * https://www.wired.com/story/apple-watch-series-12-apple-watc... it's a mistake though to demand an iphone to own the watch (can't configure it otherwise) always held me back from ever buying an apple watch, don't want an iphone or ipad

> can't configure it otherwise

This has not been true for a while. Google "apple watch family setup". You just need to know someone with an iphone, once, to set it up. You can even set up cellular and use that for all watch internet needs, incl imessage, calls, facetim (audio), and weather & apps

Re: iPhone Duo

#416

Post by perching_aix » Wed, Sep 09, 2026, 6:55 PM UTC

I'm not sure whether this counts substantive enough, but WOW that thing looks absolutely comical, lol

Naturally, I can already see people deeming it to be the most beautiful thing ever though.

Truly, I'll never understand Apple, nor their design language.

Re: iPhone Duo

#417

Post by getsprite » Wed, Sep 09, 2026, 6:56 PM UTC

MPSimmons wrote: post #231

Why do they insist on every new phone being bigger than the phones before them? I don't mind folding. I think it's cool, and a nice way to get a useful space. But I have big hands, and I can't use my iphone 17 now without two hands. This is even wider before unfolding. Who wants bigger phones? Who is like, "damn I wish I had a tablet that I could fold up and still barely fit in my pocket"? I want smaller phones. The…

I think mini phones will have a resurgence.

Re: iPhone Duo

#418

Post by speerer » Wed, Sep 09, 2026, 6:56 PM UTC

MPSimmons wrote: post #231

Why do they insist on every new phone being bigger than the phones before them? I don't mind folding. I think it's cool, and a nice way to get a useful space. But I have big hands, and I can't use my iphone 17 now without two hands. This is even wider before unfolding. Who wants bigger phones? Who is like, "damn I wish I had a tablet that I could fold up and still barely fit in my pocket"? I want smaller phones. The…

> Why do they insist on every new phone being bigger than the phones before them?

Because every time, they want it to be the next big thing.

Re: iPhone Duo

#419

Post by reenorap » Wed, Sep 09, 2026, 6:56 PM UTC

FpUser wrote: post #303

mark_l_watson wrote: post #256

I am 75, and have a ton of computer gear. I can imagine myself as an old man later in life, not wanting to do any programming, and just wanting a single digital device like a future version of this product. Let’s see what Apple has available in 10 years.

in 10 years any phone should be able to wirelessly stream it to any monitor / tv and plenty of those will be everywhere

Apple does this right now. I use AirPlay to extend one laptop into an older laptop so I can have 2 displays when I’m away from home

Re: iPhone Duo

#420

Post by samwillis » Wed, Sep 09, 2026, 6:56 PM UTC

InsideOutSanta wrote: post #331

The people at Microsoft who made the Surface Duo must be feeling pretty weird seeing this. The name, the aspect ratio, the way the UI works, the gestures for setting up split-screen, the "use it as a tiny laptop" mode... It's all things they pioneered. Not that that's a bad thing. I absolutely loved the Surface Duo, it was my favorite phone until it stopped working correctly, and I hope other Android manufacturers ta…

Good design is inevitable.

In a completely clean room environment where a designer had never seen a folding phone, but had all the context of the iPhone and everything Apple had done, they would develop almost exactly the same design and features.

Designers have also been exploring the concept of foldable devices for literal decades, well before any reached the market. I have an industrial design and technology degree, we did a project in 2005 where we explored the designs around this, looking at the UI, the physical interaction, everything. My design had a similar aspect ratio and size, as I am sure half the student did my year and every other year they ran the project. (the iPhone Duo is about thousand times better than my design though!)

Thats not to say the Microsoft designers didn't do an incredible job, they did, but they were building on decades of design ideation from those that had experimented before them.