iPhone Duo : mon avis après 10 jours de tests

Summary

iPhone Duo: Hands-On Review After Roughly 10 Days

Romain Lanéry says he initially gave up on the iPhone Duo after 48 hours, then returned to it and used it daily. His verdict remains mixed: the foldable form is appealing for particular tasks, but he finds its software, biometrics, and some design choices unfinished.

What He Likes

• Less compulsive scrolling: He says his screen time fell by about half. The smaller outer display makes social media less enjoyable to browse, so he tends to save that activity for a computer or open the phone only when he has a reason.
• One-handed use: Folded, the phone is comfortable to hold and easier to operate one-handed than a large Pro Max.
• Productivity on the large screen: The unfolded display makes split-screen work useful. Some desktop websites, such as the desktop version of Pipedrive in Safari, are also more practical than their mobile apps.
• Travel and entertainment: He appreciates having a tablet-like screen without carrying a separate tablet. He praises gaming, Netflix, and video viewing, as well as the speakers’ immersive Dolby Atmos-style effect.
• Rear-camera selfies and vlogging: The unfolded design lets him frame himself using the rear cameras rather than relying on the lower-quality inner selfie camera. He found this useful when filming a sponsored video and taking group photos.

Problems and Trade-Offs

• Inconsistent app support: Apps that have not been adapted can appear incorrectly scaled or split across the display. He describes interface controls overlapping with camera cutouts, an orientation issue in Google Meet, and occasional apps failing to resume properly. He expects updates to improve compatibility.
• Not ideal for social media creation: Instagram Stories and Reels feel awkward to compose on the outer screen, while the inner screen can feel too large for quick posting. He considers the form factor a poor fit for his content-creation workflow.
• Display limitations: He likes the feel of the inner screen indoors but would prefer a glossy finish. He says visibility in direct sunlight is poor, and the under-display inner camera is suitable mainly for video calls rather than selfies. He also notes that YouTube’s cinema and ambient modes do not use the full screen as he expects.
• Touch ID instead of Face ID: The absence of Face ID is his biggest usability complaint. He finds side-mounted Touch ID less seamless and sometimes unreliable. He says Apple Pay’s double-press interaction can lead him to press again and lock the phone. He reports that Apple told him Face ID on both the folded and unfolded screens would have increased the cost.
• Bulk, durability, and charging ergonomics: He finds the phone thicker than a conventional iPhone and noticeable in a jeans pocket. He is cautious about its mechanical fragility and finds the charging port’s position awkward when the phone is open.
• Camera and video limitations: He misses the Pro model’s 4× zoom and more advanced recording options, including Log and 10-bit 4:2:2 recording. He says the Duo can shoot 24-megapixel photos, 4K at 60 fps, 4K slow motion at 120 fps, and 4K cinematic video at 60 fps.
• Battery life depends on the task: He reports nearly eight hours of video use on a flight, but says demanding connected-AI or coding use drains the battery much faster.

Who he thinks it suits: People who travel, use a large screen for work or entertainment, play games, or are already invested in Apple’s ecosystem. He is less convinced it suits people who mainly scroll social media, create mobile content, or want a simple phone. For basic entertainment, he suggests a conventional iPhone paired with an iPad mini may be more sensible. He considers the Duo a specialized option rather than proof that foldables will replace standard phones.

AI and Automation Workflow

Lanéry demonstrates a voice assistant he calls Jarvis, using ChatGPT’s Dot voice feature. He says Dot is primarily available in the US and that he accesses it with a VPN. Through a remote session, ChatGPT Codex can interact with his MacBook and Mac Studio. Examples include muting a microphone, inspecting open pages, and surfacing relevant livestream-chat questions.

He also describes scheduled summaries of messages from services such as WhatsApp, Missive, Instagram, and SMS. The assistant can draft replies and prepare documents, spreadsheets, and presentation slides, but he says it does not send messages or authorize payments without his approval. He reports paying about US$200 per month for his level of use.

He avoids importing third-party skills and says he creates his own, while acknowledging that granting an AI broad computer access carries security risks.

A separate Pocket recorder, bought for roughly €130–€135 on sale, records calls or meetings and passes them to an AI workflow for transcription, analysis, and follow-up suggestions.

Photography and Video Gear

Lanéry has returned to using older and current cameras, including a Canon EOS 60D, a Canon EOS 1000D with a 50 mm f/1.8 lens, and a Sony ZV-E1. He recommends the Sony ZV-E1 as a strong streaming camera, citing 4K/60p recording and USB-C webcam use. He also discusses vintage lenses and the possibility of trying older compact digital cameras.

He recommends Ludoc’s Videographer’s Manual, describing it as a detailed guide to production preparation, lighting, sets, and editing techniques. He also mentions a forthcoming second volume of a MacGeneration book about Apple’s 50-year history.

Other Technology Discussion

Lanéry comments on press reports concerning Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, including possible corporate and national-security implications. He believes Nvidia is unlikely to be seriously weakened in the near term because its success depends on its wider engineering teams, though he acknowledges that evidence of business misconduct would change the picture. These are his opinions about reported allegations, not a technical product review.

Reviews, Guides, and Demonstrations Covered

• Review: iPhone Duo after roughly 10 days of use, including ergonomics, display, apps, biometrics, battery, and camera.
• Demonstration: ChatGPT/Dot/Jarvis controlling computer tasks and assisting with livestream moderation and business workflows.
• Gear recommendation: Sony ZV-E1 for streaming.
• Guide recommendation: Ludoc’s Videographer’s Manual, covering practical production topics.

Main speaker and sources: Romain Lanéry is the principal speaker. He refers to Linus Tech Tips for a comparison of the iPhone Duo, Apple for explanations of design choices, and press reporting about Nvidia.