Key takeaways
- iPhone Duo buyers at US Apple Stores will see a personal “Hello” with their name when they turn the phone on for the first time, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
- iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 and goes up to $3,199. Pre-orders open October 16, and it arrives October 23.
- My view: a greeting will not make a $2,000 phone cheaper. Apple should cut the price, not sell emotions.
iPhone Duo is Apple’s first foldable, and Apple has a little surprise ready for it. As reported by 9to5Mac, citing Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple Stores in the US will be able to customize the first boot of the phone, so it greets the buyer by name, for example “Hello, Mark”. It works only in the US, only on iPhone Duo, and only in English and Spanish.
I have to be honest: when I read this, I did not know whether to laugh or not.
In this article: What Apple is doing with the iPhone Duo greeting · A greeting for $2,000? In my opinion, it is a gimmick · Would I buy iPhone Duo for $1,999? For $3,199? · Why only in the US, and only in the store? · Will iPhone Duo save Apple, or fail like the iPhone 18 Pro? · Siri AI in beta, on a $3,199 phone · Touch ID instead of Face ID: the right call · Late again, but will it be better? · Who is iPhone Duo for? · FAQ
What Apple is doing with the iPhone Duo greeting
According to Gurman, “Apple retail stores will have a system to customize the boot of the device” with the buyer’s name. It is not clear exactly how it will work. 9to5Mac points to Presto, the system Apple Stores have used since 2023 to turn on iPhones and install updates while they stay sealed in the box.
iPhone Duo pre-orders open on Friday, October 16, and the phone arrives on October 23 in the US and more than 70 other countries and regions. It starts at $1,999 for 256GB, then $2,199 for 512GB, $2,599 for 1TB, and $3,199 for 2TB.
A greeting for $2,000? In my opinion, it is a gimmick
I have to be honest: I think it is a silly thing to announce out loud. Does Apple really think people will buy more iPhone Duos because of a greeting, on a $2,000 phone, that works only in the store? What kind of advertising is that? We sell you emotions. That is the cult.
Believe me, the fans, the bloggers, and the people who want to buy the Duo right after launch were ready for weeks already. You come out and say you have a surprise. Who did you want to reach? New customers? I think it is nonsense. I do not believe anyone will decide to buy a new iPhone Duo because the phone welcomes them by name.
I cannot understand what this small thing is for. Or maybe Apple already sees that pre-orders could be smaller, and it has to attract people somehow. In my opinion, a bigger discount would be better than some silly greeting. The greeting will not make the phone cheaper. The huge price is still there. That is madness.
Would I buy iPhone Duo for $1,999? For $3,199?
No, for God’s sake. It is a phone, only if you want a big display that works with the Apple ecosystem. And we already have a choice of many iPads in different versions for a fraction of the price of the full iPhone Duo.
For that money, I could buy an iPad Air and an iPhone 17, and I would probably still have something left for an Apple Watch. In my opinion, this year Apple really overdid it with the price of a new phone. I am not saying it is not beautiful, from what we see in the ads. But the price is completely out of reality. For that price, I would rather buy a new MacBook Pro, which is powerful and is a real work machine. But that is just my angle. People will surely go for the new iPhone, and I know the price will not stop them.
Why only in the US, and only in the store?
Apple always does it this way. The US is still its number one market. And in my opinion, when a person comes directly into the store, they do not buy only the iPhone. They buy something else with it, and the receipt immediately gets bigger.
Will iPhone Duo save Apple, or fail like the iPhone 18 Pro?
This is what I am waiting for the most, to see if my thoughts are confirmed or not. Yesterday, Nikkei Asia reported that Apple cut October orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max by at least 15%, and one source expects a “similar fate” for the iPhone Duo. I already wrote that I have the impression people may be waiting for iPhone Duo, and that is why the iPhone 18 Pro is selling less. You can read more in my iPhone 18 Pro production cut article.
Let us not forget, the iPhone 18 Pro is maybe the only one that really has so many issues, it got $100 more expensive, and it has the same memory as last year. So now I am curious: was it because people are waiting for the new iPhone, or will even the Duo not sell that well because of the price? We have to wait for the numbers, and then we will see the whole picture.
Siri AI in beta, on a $3,199 phone
iPhone Duo ships with iOS 27 and Siri AI, which is still in beta. As I said, they worked on it for two years, and it came out terribly slow and useless. In my opinion, Apple should not talk about Siri AI everywhere at all. It is just a shame. Two years, and it is still a dumb Siri, and now it will be in a phone that costs $1,999 in the cheapest version and $3,199 in the most expensive one.
Touch ID instead of Face ID: the right call
iPhone Duo uses Touch ID in the side button, and Face ID is not mentioned. In my opinion, they did the right thing. We know how badly Face ID under the display works on the iPhone 18 Pro. I would even say they did it perfectly by not putting it under the display. It is not a step back, it is the right choice, and people will get used to a fingerprint instead of Face ID.
I also understand the technical side. Do not forget that two Face IDs for two displays would probably push the price to $3,000 right away for the cheapest model. I am really glad they did not go the iPhone 18 Pro way. More on that in Face ID under the display.
Late again, but will it be better?
Samsung has had foldables for years, but that does not mean anything. We know Samsung is almost first with every technology. But it is Apple that brings things close to perfection and makes them mainstream, even if we had to wait until they tuned it. The most important thing is that this phone really comes without as many bugs as the iPhone 18 Pro. At this price, that would really not be OK anymore. See my iPhone Duo vs iPhone 18 Pro Max comparison.
Who is iPhone Duo for?
What would convince me? Only the price, and even then I do not buy the first generation of a new form factor. The first version is the weakest. I will wait for the second or third.
In my opinion, the first buyers are the Apple fans, then the bloggers, and then people for whom the price does not matter and who simply like the phone. But people are unpredictable. It may happen that there will be such a hype that I will say: for God’s sake, I cannot believe what is happening. Anything can happen. I am really curious how iPhone Duo will sell.
Will I go to the store to look at it? One hundred percent. I want to hold it in my hands and see if the hinge is really not visible or noticeable, and how it feels to work with it. I am really curious and looking forward to it. Maybe after I touch it, I will write something different. But the price still remains so crazy that it cannot even be described.
Featured photo: Jorge Láscar, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
iPhone Duo: FAQ
What is the iPhone Duo surprise at Apple Stores?
Buyers at US Apple Stores can have the first boot screen greet them by name, for example “Hello, Mark”. It works only on iPhone Duo, in English and Spanish.
How much does iPhone Duo cost?
$1,999 for 256GB, $2,199 for 512GB, $2,599 for 1TB and $3,199 for 2TB in the US.
When can I buy iPhone Duo?
Pre-orders open on October 16, and iPhone Duo arrives on October 23 in the US and more than 70 countries and regions.
Does iPhone Duo have Face ID?
iPhone Duo uses Touch ID in the side button. Face ID is not mentioned in Apple’s feature list.
What are the iPhone Duo screen sizes?
A 7.6-inch inner display and a 5.4-inch outer display, both with ProMotion.
Sources: 9to5Mac, Bloomberg (Mark Gurman), MacRumors, Nikkei Asia.
Our Take
A greeting with your name will not make a $2,000 phone cheaper.
In my opinion, Apple is selling emotions instead of a fair price, maybe because it already sees the demand is not there. Touch ID was the right call, Siri AI in beta was not.
I will go hold it in the store. But first generation, at this price? I will wait.
