215: iPhone Duo Arrives, Touchscreen MacBooks Next Up

23 Oct 2026 · 51 min · Episode 215

Episode 215: iPhone Duo Arrives, Touchscreen MacBooks Next Up

0:00 51:07

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through the reception to the iPhone Duo as it goes on sale today, what to expect from next week's "Pro and tell" experience, and the iPod's 25th anniversary.

00:00 Intro 00:51 iPod Turns 25 04:43 iPhone Duo Launch and Demand 10:41 iPhone Duo App Optimization 22:31 Living With the iPhone Duo 25:00 Touch ID and the Lack of Face ID 33:00 Battery Life and Thermals 37:09 Touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro 46:55 OLED iPad Mini and M6 Macs

The iPhone Duo launches today, starting at $1,999, with a 5.4-inch outer display that unfolds into a 7.6-inch inner display. Early reviews present a mixed picture of a device that brings fresh ideas to the iPhone, but asks users to accept some significant compromises.

The matte inner display has emerged as a particular highlight, reducing reflections and making the crease less noticeable while providing more space for reading, watching videos, editing photos, and multitasking. Premium construction and performance also make a positive impression, but the software experience is less consistent. Unoptimized apps, wasted screen space, and unfamiliar controls can make the larger display feel underused.

Reviewers are also divided over how comfortably iPhone Duo handles quick, everyday tasks. Some find the outer screen perfectly adequate for messaging and quick interactions, while others consider it to be restrictive. Its weight and width complicate one-handed use, returning to Touch ID takes adjustment, and the cameras fall short of Apple's Pro models. Our own first 24 hourswith the device highlight many of these same trade-offs, alongside the appeal of side-by-side multitasking. We consider whether carrying a larger screen outweighs those compromises, or whether better app support and future hardware will make a more convincing case.

Apple's next product announcement is already approaching, with the "Pro and tell" experiencescheduled for October 28 in Los Angeles. Redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are expected to headline the announcements, combining OLED displays with the first touchscreens on a Mac.

The redesigned machines are rumored to feature lighter, potentially thinner designs, a reinforced hinge for touch input, and a Dynamic Island replacing the "notch." They are expected to retain M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, making the display and design the main new features.

A redesigned iPad mini is also expected, featuring an OLED display, the A20 Pro chip, a landscape front-facing camera, and a redesigned speaker system. Water resistance could also be present for the first time on an iPad. Apple is also expected to bring the M6 chip to the iMac and entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro.

Finally, we mark 25 years since Apple introduced the original iPod on October 23, 2001.

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