iPhone Duo: The Accessories You Need From Day One

Quick summary: I’ve used folding phones for seven years, so I know which accessories make them better. For the iPhone Duo, here are my five must-haves, plus two bonuses.

Key takeaways

1. A case. dbrand for maximum protection, BENKS for thin and light.
2. A magnetic grip. I’d never use a foldable without one.
3. Apple Pencil (USB-C), the only Pencil supported at launch.
4. AirPods Pro 3 or Ray-Ban Meta glasses.
5. A power bank. I prefer Anker’s 25,000mAh.
6. Bonus: AppleCare, plus an Apple Watch.

1. A case

There are going to be tons of cases, but these are safe bets:

• dbrand Grip: super drop-protective, with glass for the front screen.
• BENKS: a glass screen protector plus full protection on the hinge and body, while staying thin and light.

2. A grip

There’s nothing better than a folding phone with a grip. My favorite is the OhSnap Snap Grip stand. It’s the most comfortable, it stands your phone up, and you can wirelessly charge through it. I’ve tested it with an iPhone Duo case. PopSockets’ Low-Pro and Kick-Out grips work really nicely too. Once you go grip, you don’t go back.

3. Apple Pencil (USB-C)

I’m not a stylus person, but this is the first iPhone with pen support, and only the Apple Pencil (USB-C) works at the time I made this. It also needs a software update. Writing notes, signing contracts and controlling the phone with a pen is a big deal, especially since Samsung removed S Pen support from its latest foldables. Try it. You can always return it.

4. AirPods Pro 3 or Ray-Ban Meta glasses

The AirPods Pro 3 are about $200, sound great, and work seamlessly with iPhone. If you wear glasses, get Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 (also at Best Buy). They work with iPhone, and nothing beats them for phone calls. You also get audio all day, Meta AI and photos. Audio isn’t as good as AirPods, but I always have them on.

5. A power bank

My pick is the Anker 25,000mAh power bank. It’s big, but it charges an iPhone Duo three or four times, charges multiple devices fast, and has an LCD display. I’ve used mine reliably for close to two years. You could also go with a MagSafe wireless battery pack, though it adds weight.

Bonus: AppleCare

If you’re getting a foldable, don’t mess around. AppleCare is about $19.99 a month, and you can get it fixed or replaced quickly. There are so many moving parts, and that beats paying $1,000–$1,500 for a screen.

Bonus: a smartwatch

It’s so nice not having to grab your phone for the time or a notification. An Apple Watch will work great with it.

What would you add to your list?