Apple's iPhone Duo Launches With Touch ID, Not Face ID

Apple's first folding iPhone, the iPhone Duo, costs $1,999 and pairs a 5.4-inch outer screen with a 7.6-inch inner display, according to WIRED, which tested the device ahead of launch. The device arrives backordered for several weeks, WIRED reported, and several of its most notable traits are not obvious from the spec sheet.

How Much Does the iPhone Duo Cost, and What Do Buyers Get?

The Duo is priced at $1,999, WIRED reported, positioning it as a premium category entry rather than a mainstream replacement for existing iPhone lines. The outlet noted that by the time back orders clear, some of the device's early software rough edges are likely to be smoothed over as developers catch up.

How Big Are the Duo's Two Screens?

The folding phone carries a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display, per WIRED. Apple redesigned its own apps to take advantage of both screen sizes, aligning navigational elements along the right rail instead of centering them at the bottom, a departure from every other iPhone, WIRED reported.

Why Does the Duo Use Touch ID Instead of Face ID?

Apple's folding iPhone drops Face ID entirely in favor of Touch ID, WIRED reported, marking the first time the fingerprint sensor has returned to a flagship iPhone since Apple phased it out years ago. WIRED said the switch is likely tied to the limited internal space in the thin folding chassis, though Apple has not confirmed the reasoning. Touch ID never fully disappeared from Apple's lineup — it remained on the iPhone SE, iPads, and MacBooks, according to WIRED.

The Dynamic Island, the pill-shaped indicator Apple introduced around its Face ID camera housing, also moved. WIRED reported it now sits at the top-right edge around the outer selfie camera, and appears at the top-right edge of the inner display only when a live activity is in progress.

"The Duo is a pretty dang good foldable," WIRED's Julian Chokkattu wrote after testing Apple's first folding phone.

Are Third-Party Apps Ready for the New Screens?

Not entirely, WIRED found. Many apps have not been optimized for the Duo's unique outer and inner displays, and often render as a narrow strip in the center of the screen flanked by black bars — a pattern WIRED observed in the Google Home app. Slack, Instagram, DoorDash, and WhatsApp have been updated for iOS 27.1, WIRED reported, though even some optimized apps, including Instagram, still show broken interface elements.

How Long Did Apple Wait to Enter Foldable Phones?

The Duo arrives seven years after Samsung introduced the Galaxy Fold, WIRED reported, giving Apple time to refine the hardware before a public release rather than iterate through early, rougher generations in view of consumers.

What to Watch

• Whether app developers close the optimization gap during the device's multiweek backorder window, as WIRED suggested could happen.
• Consumer reaction to Touch ID's return on a flagship iPhone after years of Face ID.
• How quickly Apple issues software fixes for interface bugs WIRED identified in apps like Instagram.
• Pricing and availability shifts once initial $1,999 demand is filled.