iPhone Duo: Did I Switch Back to Android?

Quick summary: Yes, I switched back. After about two weeks with the iPhone Duo, I’m back on my Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. The Duo is awesome, and Apple’s foldable future looks very bright, but unfinished software, iOS notifications and messaging pulled me home to Samsung.

Key takeaways

• My first days on the iPhone Duo were rocky. It took until about day four or five before I started to appreciate it.
• The Duo’s software doesn’t feel complete yet. I’d guess it’s at least a month or more of updates away from feeling finished.
• An Apple Watch made the Duo a lot better for me.
• Android’s notification system and messaging from a web browser are what I missed most.
• I almost went back to the regular Z Fold 8, but chose the Ultra for its taller display.

Rocky first days on the iPhone Duo

A lot of you found my channel through my iPhone Duo coverage, and some of you have been here since the early Galaxy Fold days. Thank you all. On day one with the Duo I was ready to go back. At my son’s friend’s birthday party I was telling everyone it’s a cool phone, but the notifications, the unlocking and some of the apps were annoying me.

Around day four or five, I started to understand it better and really like it. Then I’d pick up my Galaxy Z Fold 8 or 8 Ultra (I have both), and it just felt like home: natural, refined, and complete in a way the Duo’s software isn’t yet.

The Duo’s software isn’t complete yet

The iPhone Duo doesn’t feel complete. It needs software updates, and they will come. Is that a month away, or a year? We don’t know, but I’d say at least a month or more before this phone becomes something competitors really have to worry about.

A longtime Samsung fan

I was a big iPhone person up until about the iPhone 5, switching back and forth with Android, until I got tired of iPhone and moved to Samsung. I’ve been with Samsung since around the Galaxy Note 2 or 3. Samsung took a lot of risks over the years, and now it has settled into a much more reliable mix of hardware and software.

The Apple Watch made the Duo better

I bought an Apple Watch with this phone, and it made me like the Duo a lot more. The phone has pen support and a lot of cool features. It’s freaking awesome, and I’m not denying that. But it does need updates and improvements.

Why I prefer Android

The Duo taught me two things. Apple has a very bright future in foldables. And I like Samsung Galaxy and Android software much more than iOS.

There are things I love about iOS. Third-party apps are top-notch, better than Android’s, and when an app is optimized for the Duo’s screen it’s usually a bit better than on the Fold. But the basics pulled me back:

• Notifications: Android’s system is massive for me. On iPhone, I’d just stop looking at my notifications.
• Messaging on the web: being able to text from a web browser with Google Messages is great.
• Customization and openness: Android lets me do what I want instead of what Apple wants me to do.

If you mainly use the basics like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Netflix, they’re great on Android, and you get more customization and a better notification system.

Almost Z Fold 8, but I chose the Ultra

When I was deciding what to switch back to, I almost went with the regular Z Fold 8 because I’d gotten used to that form factor. In the end I picked the Ultra because I really do like a slightly taller display now.

Glad to be back

It felt so good to be back after about two weeks. It made me very appreciative of what Google and Samsung have built. I didn’t hate Android while I was gone, and I like both devices. I’m a fan of technology, and getting to choose between them is a luxury.

Still covering the iPhone Duo

I’ll keep covering the Duo as it improves. Did you switch between Samsung and iPhone? Tell me your story in the comments on the video.

• Benks iPhone Duo cases (code GREGGLESTV)