The most interesting thing about Apple's first foldable isn't the mechanics. It's how iOS behaves on it, according to early hands-on impressions.
Apple seems to have rethought how a folding phone should be used from the start. The dock relocates, multitasking changes with how the phone is held, and the unfolding animation is functional rather than decorative, according to Gadget 360.
How The Software Works
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The most obvious change is control placement. The dock and main app controls sit along the right edge rather than the bottom. Early users say this suits the way people hold the phone when it's open, with a hand on either side, and it also evens out the lopsided look of the cover screen, Gadget 360 reported.
Multitasking will feel familiar to iPad users. Pull an app out of the dock while another is running and it takes over the other half of the display. Drag it toward the centre and it returns to full screen. No buttons are involved.
Tilting the phone partway opens a split view on its own. That suits propping the phone on a desk with a video on one side and a chat window on the other. Stand it up folded and it drops into a vertical StandBy layout for things like a clock or photos. The unfolding animation is built so the outer display seems to widen into the inner one, softened by a blur, so the two screens read as one surface, Gadget 360 stated.
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Hardware In The Background
The hardware comes across as solid support for the software rather than the main event. Folded, the phone has a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR cover screen. Opened, it reveals a 7.6-inch panel that early impressions compare to an iPad mini. Apple describes it as the thinnest iPhone with the biggest screen it has made, according to Gadget 360.
The inner display uses the same nano-texture matte treatment as the MacBook and iPad Pro, which helps against glare and smudges. The crease reportedly shows up only when you go looking for it, and looks much subtler than on several rivals.
The frame is titanium, the edges are rounded, and the hinge stays put at unusual angles, which helps when using tent mode. Inside are the A20 Pro chip and a vapour chamber. There are two 48-megapixel rear cameras (main and ultra-wide) and no telephoto lens, so it won't lead on specs, the report said.
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What Needs Work
A few gaps have been pointed out. Split-screen only supports full-size or half-size apps, with nothing in between, and the phone forgets your layout if you fold it while multitasking. Every control is on the right edge, which could be a real problem for left-handed users. Software updates may address both before launch, the report added.
Colours And Availability
The Duo comes in Night Sky and Star White. Pre-orders open on October 16 and sales begin on October 23.
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