Nothing CEO Carl Pei slammed Apple’s new $1,999 iPhone Duo, calling it a “waste of money.” He said the foldable lacks a telephoto camera and Face ID. Pei feels these missing features make the high price tag hard to justify. Many users also worry about the device’s limited camera capabilities.
Nothing CEO Carl Pei has criticised Apple’s first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, calling it a ‘'iPhone Duo is a waste of money’' because of its $1,999 price tag and missing features. In a recent video posted to Instagram, Pei pointed out the lack of a dedicated telephoto camera and some advanced photo features as two major disadvantages.
The iPhone Duo was showcased at Apple’s recent launch event and has received a largely positive initial response. However, Pei doesn't think the foldable has enough functionality to warrant its high cost. He says his criticism is of the camera system, the biometric authentication and the compromises Apple made to achieve its slim design.
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iPhone Duo misses out on Face ID
Face ID has been an important feature of Apple's flagship smartphones since the iPhone X was launched in 2017. However, the iPhone Duo lacks Face ID, which Pei considers a significant omission for a device costing nearly $2,000.
Apple hasn't provided an official reason for the move. The foldable measures 5.2 mm when opened, which may make it hard to fit the TrueDepth elements into Face ID. Another complexity could be supporting authentication on both the inner and outer displays.
Camera compromises raise concerns
Pei also questioned the iPhone Duo’s camera capabilities. The specs cited in the report show that the device has a 12 MP front-facing camera, which is smaller than the 18 MP selfie camera included with the iPhone 18 Pro, which is available for $1,199.
The foldable also lacks a LiDAR scanner and a dedicated telephoto camera. Moreover, it doesn't include some of the more advanced camera features found in the iPhone 18 Pro variants, such as shutter speed and aperture settings. These omissions could disappoint users who expect flagship-level smartphone photography in this price segment.
Future iPhone Duo models could add Face ID
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says the following features are important for future iterations of Apple's foldable: Face ID and a dedicated telephoto camera. However, the improvements are said not to be available in the second generation and may be incorporated into the third generation.
Online Reddit posts also suggest concerns that some people will lose Face ID functionality. One suggested solution is to mount Touch ID on the exterior display and Face ID on the inner one, so the authentication process is convenient without requiring two Face ID systems, according to a report by Phone Arena.
iPhone Duo still has several strengths
Despite the criticism, the iPhone Duo offers several notable features. These include a slim design, a nearly invisible display crease, a 120Hz ProMotion display with always-on support, Apple’s A20 Pro chipset and compatibility with the USB-C Apple Pencil.
These features may be attractive to users looking for a high-end foldable. Pei's criticism highlights the trade-off between an ultra-thin design and the features buyers expect at this price.