Nothing CEO Carl Pei has criticised Apple’s new iPhone Duo, calling the $1,999 foldable a “waste of money” over compromises in facial recognition and camera capabilities.
In an Instagram post, Pei wrote, “Hot Take: The iPhone Duo will be a waste of money. $2000 is a lot for a bigger screen and a fancy animation.”
His remarks come ahead of the device’s October 16 pre-orders and October 23 availability.
Missing Face ID Raises Questions
Pei’s biggest concern is the absence of Face ID, a feature Apple has offered on its flagship iPhones since the iPhone X.
The iPhone Duo measures just 5.2mm when unfolded, potentially making it difficult to accommodate the required TrueDepth sensors. Supporting facial recognition on both screens could also complicate its slim design.
Apple has not officially explained the omission.
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Camera Compromises Despite Premium Pricing
The iPhone Duo features a 12MP selfie camera, compared with the 18MP front camera on the $1,199 iPhone 18 Pro.
It also lacks a dedicated telephoto lens, LiDAR scanner and certain advanced camera controls available on Apple’s Pro models.
These omissions have become central to Pei’s criticism, particularly as competing foldables such as Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Google’s Pixel 11 Pro Fold offer telephoto cameras.
Apple May Address Missing Features Later
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has reportedly indicated that Apple is prioritising Face ID and a telephoto camera for future iPhone Duo models.
However, these upgrades may not arrive until the third generation. Apple has not confirmed the plans.
Premium Features Still Make a Case for iPhone Duo
Despite the criticism, Apple’s foldable offers an A20 Pro chipset, a 120Hz ProMotion display, a nearly invisible screen crease and USB-C Apple Pencil compatibility.
Question is, Whether consumers value the foldable experience enough to overlook features available on cheaper flagship smartphones.
With sales beginning October 23, the iPhone Duo will soon face its first real test among buyers.
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