If you bought an iPhone Duo, did you keep it or return it? (Survey)

When Apple announced the iPhone Duo in September, the company called it “the most transformational change to the iPhone since the original,” and there’s no doubt it generated enormous excitement.

But a new report suggests that for some buyers, the novelty quickly wore off and they ended up returning their devices. Is it just a handful of people, or is it more common…?

It’s been a long time since any the smartphone launch generated a lot of buzz. Apple called it a breakthrough in iPhone design.

iPhone Duo features a revolutionary foldable design that is beautiful, versatile and durable, opening up possibilities that seem entirely new yet remarkably familiar (…)

“iPhone Duo is the most transformative change to iPhone since the original. With an all-new design and intuitive experiences, it shows what’s possible when hardware and software are designed together and redefines what it means to use a foldable phone,” said John Ternus.

Although I’m not really the target market for the phone, I was still impressed by the launch video and remained incredibly impressed when I got to test one of them.

Many couldn’t resist buying one despite the price – but The edge notes that not everyone ended up keeping the device. Apple allows you to return any product within 14 days for a full refund without having to give a reason. That window has ended for some of the first-time buyers and the site’s Alison Johnson spoke to some of those who had decided to take advantage.

There were a few specific problems:

• It’s too heavy and bulky
• The exterior screen is too small
• The cameras are not as good as those of the iPhone 18 Pro

But the most fundamental reason for some is that it didn’t really live up to their hopes of a multifunctional device.

“If I could have an iPad in my pocket, that would be great.” So thought Ben Seligson, content creator, photographer and now former iPhone Duo owner (…) “Usually I start a YouTube video on the iPad or I start a podcast. And then I start making dinner and I leave my iPad in the same place, but I have my phone in my pocket if I get a text, or if I need to set a timer or something.” With the Duo, the phone was also the iPad on the counter, so a quick response became much more of an interruption.

I’m curious if this is just a small minority of buyers or a more common phenomenon. If you purchased a Duo early enough to have reached the end of the returns window, please take our survey to let us know if you’ve decided to keep it or return it – and share your reasons in the comments (which are now back).

Oh, and the good news for anyone buying one now is that you’ll have a lot more time to decide, with the extended holiday returns window in place. You can now return anything you purchased today until January 8th.