For most new relationships, two weeks probably isn’t enough time to decide if you’re ready for a long-term commitment. But two weeks with a new phone? You probably know it. The iPhone Duo launched just over two weeks ago, and that’s been enough time for a subset of day-one buyers who don’t love the phone to make a decision: It’s time to call it quits. Furthermore, they wanted their $2,000 back. This is to be expected, to some extent; The Duo simply isn’t a phone for everyone. It’s an early adopter device (we call it “an expensive, messy good time”) and on top of that, the hinge seems to be suffering from some first-generation growing pains. Despite all that, Apple seems to be selling the Duos very well, with new online orders expected to ship in January. When Apple’s usual 14-day return window came to an end, I reached out to a few people to find out more about why they brought back their new Duos. Some things seemed familiar (the exterior screen is small, the cameras aren’t great), but other reasons were a little more surprising. Like the fact that the whole Duo proposition as a two-in-one device is sometimes a disadvantage, not an advantage. “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. After spending some time with the phone, he discovered that having a phone that was also your iPad wasn’t always ideal. Using two separate devices, Seligson told me, “I usually put on a YouTube video on the iPad or a podcast. And then I start making dinner and I leave my iPad in one place, but I have my phone in my pocket if I get a text, or I need to set a timer or something.” With Duo, the phone was also the iPad on the counter, so a quick response became a much bigger interruption. “It didn’t feel like the same phone everyone has had for the last 10 years.” Less surprising: A couple of Duo owners I spoke to weren’t interested enough in the form factor to try a foldable Android. Not for lack of curiosity; rather, the iPhone’s lock feels too strong. Michael Hayes, another former Duo owner, says: “I used to switch between Android and iOS about 10 years ago, and I think I still have a Pixel in a drawer somewhere… Unless a big change happens, I’m stuck in the ecosystem now.” Seligson has been tempted by Samsung foldables in the past. “A year ago, when the Fold 7 came out, I was thinking about it,” he says. “But my whole family uses FaceTime; I’m on FaceTime with them all the time. I have the Mac, I have the iPad. So there are too many reasons not to try it.” Both Hayes and Seligson reverted to block-style iPhones instead of foldable ones. Fayethe Vongsouvanh, art director, envisioned using the Duo to edit photos and plan her wedding. They had the misfortune of having the screen break on the second day of having the Duo. “At the time, I was at home recovering from hand surgery, so I knew there was no way I was going to be too hard on it,” Vongsouvanh says. They were able to get a replacement quickly, but other quirks led them to return it as well. Weight was the most important factor. “The phone is too heavy and bulky for my daily use,” they say. Although things didn’t work out, the Duo seems to have had an impact on the people I spoke to. “There’s something special about the duo that I kind of miss,” Seligson says. “It felt different and didn’t feel like the same phone everyone had had for the last ten years.” Spending time with the Duo has inspired others to look at old form factors with a new perspective. Vongsouvanh enjoyed writing and drawing with the Duo’s internal screen and an Apple Pencil and has been inspired to use an older device more often. “I’ll definitely start using my old iPad Pro with a Paperlike screen protector more often,” they say. For Hayes, the duo led him to downsize his staff. “If there’s one thing the Duo did, it steered me toward the regular Pro this time instead of the Pro Max because it felt comically big after using the Duo.” Maybe small phones have a chance after all. If you’re still waiting for your Duo, there’s good news; Apple’s holiday return policy went into effect on November 6, so anyone who just received their phone will have until January 8, 2027 to return it for a full refund. Even if you don’t end up keeping the phone, you’ll probably have a good time. I’m still using it as my daily driver a few weeks later and it continues to surprise me with new tricks. But keep an eye on that return window, just in case. Follow this story’s topics and authors to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates. Allison JohnsonCloseAllison JohnsonThis author’s posts will be added to your daily email digest and homepage feed. 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