{
  "id": 14690501,
  "title": "iPhone Duo UAE pre-orders: What you lose despite paying Dh3,000 more than the iPhone 18 Pro Max",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/iphone-duo-uae-pre-orders-what-you-lose-despite-paying-dh3-000-more",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-15T11:46:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/technology/iphone-duo-uae-pre-orders-what-you-lose-despite-paying-dh3000-more-than-the-iphone-18-pro-max-1.500711745"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Apple's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, went on sale for pre-orders in the UAE on October 16th, with sales beginning on October 23rd. Priced at Dh8,499 for the 256GB model, it is significantly more expensive than both the previous generation iPhone 18 Pro and the 18 Pro Max. The premium price comes from the unique design of the Duo, featuring a 5.4-inch cover screen that flips open to a 7.6-inch display, allowing for two apps to run side-by-side.\n\nThe iPhone Duo offers several compromises compared to its more expensive counterparts. Notably, it lacks Face ID, instead using a side-mounted Touch ID sensor for unlocking the phone. The camera system is also significantly downgraded, with a single 48MP main camera and a 48MP Ultra Wide lens, as opposed to the dual 48MP main and Ultra Wide cameras on the 18 Pro. The Duo's main camera is limited to a maximum 2x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom, while the 18 Pro models offer up to 40x optical zoom.\n\nOther notable differences include the absence of variable aperture and advanced main-camera hardware features, such as f/1.6 aperture, second-generation sensor-shift stabilisation, and full-sensor Focus Pixels. The Action button, which can be customized for various functions, is also missing. Additionally, the Duo does not feature LiDAR scanning for AR applications or 3D scanning, and its battery life is shorter than the 18 Pro models.\n\nThe larger screen of the Duo, which only opens up when the device is unfolded, comes with some drawbacks. It has a lower pixel density (430 pixels per inch compared to 460 on the 18 Pro) and displays a crease under certain lighting conditions. The phone is also heavier than the 18 Pro models, weighing in at 254g compared to 230g for the 18 Pro and 230g for the Pro Max.",
  "summary": "Apple's first foldable opens for pre-order in the UAE on Friday 16 October, with sales from Friday 23 October. At Dh8,499 for 256GB, the iPhone Duo is the most expensive way into iOS, and in a surprising number of ways it is also the less capable phone. It costs Dh3,400 more than the iPhone 18 Pro and Dh3,000 more than the 18 Pro Max, and even the entry Duo is pricier than a 1TB Pro Max. The…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}