iPhone Duo reviews: release date and time (expected Oct 20)
Apple has not announced when the first iPhone Duo reviews will be published. The date most writers expect is Tuesday, October 20, three days before the phone goes on sale on October 23 and four days after preorders open. That date is an expectation based on past launches, not something Apple has confirmed.
- Preorders open: Friday, October 16, 5 a.m. PT (12:00 UTC), confirmed by Apple
- On sale: Friday, October 23, confirmed by Apple
- Reviews expected: Tuesday, October 20 (some expect Wednesday, October 21)
- Likely time: 5 a.m. PT, the same moment preorders opened
Why October 20
Forbes' David Phelan, writing on Yahoo Tech, calls Tuesday, October 20 or Wednesday, October 21 "near-certain". Apple's reviews normally appear in the week of the release, and the embargo usually lifts at the same time of day as preorders open. For the iPhone 18 Pro, he notes, reviews came out on the Wednesday before release, which he thinks was because Apple's September event was held on a Wednesday.
There is a second piece of timing. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported on September 30 that Apple plans an October 13 event for a new smart home hub, Apple TV and HomePod mini. MacRumors suggested Apple could hand iPhone Duo review units to selected press at the hands-on session that usually follows. Apple has not confirmed that event or the review units.
The time in your country
If the embargo lifts at 12:00 UTC on October 20, this is when reviews would appear:
| US Pacific | Tue Oct 20, 5:00 a.m. |
| Mexico City | Tue Oct 20, 6:00 a.m. |
| US Eastern | Tue Oct 20, 8:00 a.m. |
| Brazil (Brasília) | Tue Oct 20, 9:00 a.m. |
| UK | Tue Oct 20, 1:00 p.m. |
| Central Europe | Tue Oct 20, 2:00 p.m. |
| Türkiye, Saudi Arabia | Tue Oct 20, 3:00 p.m. |
| UAE | Tue Oct 20, 4:00 p.m. |
| Pakistan | Tue Oct 20, 5:00 p.m. |
| India | Tue Oct 20, 5:30 p.m. |
| Bangladesh | Tue Oct 20, 6:00 p.m. |
| Indonesia (Jakarta) | Tue Oct 20, 7:00 p.m. |
| Singapore, Malaysia | Tue Oct 20, 8:00 p.m. |
| Japan, South Korea | Tue Oct 20, 9:00 p.m. |
| Sydney | Tue Oct 20, 11:00 p.m. |
| New Zealand | Wed Oct 21, 1:00 a.m. |
The catch: you order before you can read them
Preorders open on October 16, four days before the expected reviews, and supply is expected to be limited. If you want one at launch, you will probably have to decide before any review is out. Apple's Get Ready option opens on October 12 so you can prepare your order; the preorder time in your country is on its own page.
What reviewers will be judging
- Battery. Apple's spec page claims up to 24 hours of typical use and up to 31 hours of video on the inner screen (44 hours on the outer one), from dual batteries.
- The fold. How visible is the crease, and how does the hinge feel after days of use? Apple calls the inner display nano-texture and 7.6 inches.
- Cameras. The Duo has a 48MP main and a 48MP ultra wide camera, with no dedicated telephoto lens. See how that compares in our iPhone Duo vs iPhone 18 Pro comparison.
- Apps. Apps not updated for the foldable show a blank strip on the right, Wikipedia notes, so reviewers will test popular ones.
- Value. The price is $1,999 for 256GB in the US. See it in 40 countries.
Sources
- Forbes (David Phelan) via Yahoo Tech: Apple iPhone Duo launch timeline
- Apple: iPhone Duo store page (preorder and on-sale dates) and tech specs
