Apple's upcoming iPhone Fold looks to copy Microsoft's Surface Duo — and that's genuinely great news

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I loved the Surface Duo's short but wide aspect ratio, and it appears Apple is planning to bring that unique shape and size back with its upcoming foldable iPhone.

Surface Duo (original)
The iPhone Fold is basically this but without a gap and bezels. (Image credit: Future)

It's been rumored for eons at this point, but Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone looks to be all but confirmed to launch sometime next year, and thanks to recent leaks, we already know the rough shape, size and feature set of the hardware. For my fellow Surface Duo brothers and sisters, it's good news.

While the iPhone Fold won't utilize the Surface Duo's excellent dual-screen form factor, it will take on a similar shape and size. The Surface Duo was famously short and wide, compared to most other smartphones (including foldables) which are narrow and tall.

iPhone Fold display comparison with Surface Duo 2

This is how the iPhone Fold's inner display will stack up compared to Surface Duo 2, via www.youtube.com/@shanecraigtech (Image credit: Shane Craig on YouTube)

Most foldable phones today offer the foldable screen in an almost 1:1 aspect ratio, which kind of sucks for both productivity and media consumption. Other than the Surface Duo, the only other foldable I've used that didn't do this was the original Google Pixel Fold, which had a widescreen foldable display and made using it as a tablet so good.

A widescreen aspect ratio for the foldable display is important for a number of reasons. It makes multitasking with two apps side by side much more comfortable, as the apps have more room to show content. It also makes watching videos better, as there's less letterboxing compared to the 1:1 aspect ratio of most foldables.

The Surface Duo was the best multitasking phone I've ever used, and that's because the two 5.6-inch displays were treated like a single display that let you share content across them. It makes running two apps side by side super easy and enjoyable, and I'm hoping the same is the case on the iPhone Fold.

It's not hard to assume the iPhone Fold will run some kind of iOS and iPadOS hybrid, letting you run more than one app at a time on the folding screen just like an iPad Mini. An iPhone that's capable of transforming into an iPad Mini is honestly the dream device, and I'm here for it.

Pixel Fold

The original Google Pixel Fold was the previous Surface Duo follow up for me. (Image credit: Google)

Other rumored specs of the iPhone Fold include touch ID instead of Face ID, which is also another similarity to the Surface Duo. Apple is expected to put a fingerprint reader into the power button, just like on the Surface Duo 2. This makes authenticating into the device when both opened or closed easy.

It's also expected to have the largest battery ever fitted to an iPhone, and a creaseless display, which would be a first for the foldable category. While the Surface Duo didn't have a crease, it did have a gap between the displays. Of course, Apple's folding phone is rumored to cost a lot of money, somewhere north of $2,000.

Ever since Microsoft killed the Surface Duo, I've been on the hunt for a device that matches that aesthetic and form factor as closely as possible. So far, the only other device that even came close was the original Google Pixel Fold, featuring a similar shorter and wider aspect ratio that made multitasking easy.

The upcoming iPhone Fold looks to be the closest to the Surface Duo yet. It will be almost the exact same shape and size, with the only difference being the internal screen is one foldable display instead of two glass panels. While I would prefer two displays like on the Duo, I can settle for one foldable display if the software does enough to make using both halves of it easy.

So, it's not an exact replica, but it's close enough. Its rumored shape and size alone makes me incredibly excited. What are your thoughts on Apple's rumored folding iPhone? Let us know in the comments.

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Zac Bowden
Zac Bowden
Senior Editor

Zac Bowden is a Senior Editor at Windows Central and has been with the site since 2016. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows, Surface, and hardware. He's also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! Keep in touch on Twitter and Threads

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