00:00So much news from the Apple event. Let's go right to the end because this was crazy. iPhone duo. Yeah,
00:06it folds.
00:08Apple is finally going foldable. And with a new CEO at the helm, the company is entering one of its
00:13most interesting eras yet.
00:15Joining us now to learn more about what Apple unveiled this week is our friend Mark Spoonhour, global editor-in
00:21-chief of Tom's Guide.
00:23Mark, thank you so much for being with us today.
00:26Thanks for having me.
00:27Yeah, a lot of exciting news. So let's get to it. Apple fans, of course, have been waiting for years
00:32now for this foldable phone.
00:34What was your biggest reaction when you finally saw the iPhone duo?
00:39I would say the fact that it just feels like it works.
00:43Like when you pick it up, like you're firstly sort of taken aback by like the slick animations and everything
00:49else.
00:50But they didn't just make a foldable phone.
00:52Apple actually redesigned iOS 27 so that it actually feels like it works on a foldable.
00:58So for example, when you're opening apps, they're on the right-hand side, whether you're on the external screen or
01:04on the internal one.
01:06And they've also made like a really big deal about like durability.
01:09Because I think one of the biggest complaints that people have and worries about foldable phones is that,
01:14is this thing going to break like within the first couple of months?
01:17So I think they did a really good job like reinforcing the hinge, for example, and it seems like super
01:21sturdy.
01:22The frame is actually made of titanium, which is stronger than what Samsung has.
01:27And when you actually, a lot of people also complain about the so-called crease.
01:30So like the fold in the middle of the fold.
01:32And they did a really good job of hiding that with what's called a nano-texture display.
01:37So while you can see it at certain angles, like I could barely feel it.
01:42And I think once you actually start watching content, especially video, it kind of disappears.
01:48That's really exciting and encouraging.
01:50I mean, you know, the iPhone Duo is entering a foldable market where Samsung and others have had a lot
01:56of years to experiment.
01:58It doesn't sound like it feels like Apple is playing catch up here.
02:02I don't know if that's kind of what you've witnessed from having that phone in your hands.
02:10What does it feel like and tell us a little bit more about how it's this folding capacity?
02:18Yeah, of course.
02:19I think when you actually, when you pick it up, like one thing I will say is that it's a
02:23little bit heavier and thicker than the Galaxy Z Fold 8, for example.
02:27I think Samsung did a really good job of making it feel like you're not having like a penalty for
02:32carrying a foldable phone around.
02:33But I do think the Duo is pretty compact.
02:36So it's a 5.4-inch display on the outside, 7.6 inches on the inside.
02:42And that's why they call it Duo.
02:43It's basically a phone and tablet in a single device.
02:46And I think probably like a key difference, I think, between Apple and Samsung's ecosystem is that I'm pretty confident
02:53that from day one, the app story is going to be pretty good.
02:56They talked about Zoom being optimized and Slack.
03:00And despite having seven years of development on the Android side, a lot of like foldable phone apps on Android
03:07devices kind of feel like stretched out phone apps.
03:11So Slack is a good example.
03:13Instagram, like the comments actually cover the content when you open it.
03:17So I think you'll see like more, quote unquote, dual pane apps, you know, on the iPhone Duo.
03:24And I think if I had to guess, that might actually have something to do with the fact that it's
03:28not coming out until October, because they want to give developers a little bit more time to optimize their stuff.
03:34Right.
03:35At a starting price of $19.99, you know, sounds like a lot.
03:39But what do you think it is that Apple will need to deliver once they get their hands on this
03:45phone?
03:46Sure.
03:47It's definitely a high price.
03:49I don't think it's a coincidence that they rolled out the Apple upgrade program, which is basically like leasing your
03:54phone for a cheaper monthly price and being able to trade it in when you're done.
03:58And there's no, there's no getting around the fact that $2,000 is expensive for a flagship phone, but it
04:04is pretty much in line with other foldables on the market so far.
04:08It's actually right in between the price for the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which starts at $1,900, and the
04:14Fold 8 Ultra, which is $2,100, and a little bit more than Google.
04:18So I do think that they're going to have to convince people that having this two devices in one is
04:24worth the premium.
04:26Apple is also claiming that it has 31 hours of battery life on the inner display and a 50%
04:32charge in just 20 minutes.
04:34How impressive are those numbers in the real world?
04:38Yeah, I think it really comes down to real world usage.
04:41What we do at Tom's Guide, we actually have our own web surfing test.
04:44So we'll surf the web until a phone dies at 50% brightness and the best phones last about 18
04:50hours or longer on a charge.
04:52I think if people really care about the longest possible battery life, they might want to go for the iPhone
04:5718 Pro Max this year because it has an even bigger battery.
05:01But yeah, I think the big question is, what happens when you're using a 7.6-inch display for multiple
05:07hours a day?
05:08Can you get close to the 12 to maybe even 24 hours of everyday use?
05:13That's something that we're going to have to test.
05:16How big of a deal is the A20 Pro chip and the new C2 modem?
05:20And what could that mean for things like the battery life and performance?
05:25Sure.
05:25I think the A20 Pro chip, because it's a 2-nanometer processor, it basically means they can squeeze more transistors
05:33onto the chip.
05:34And they also redesigned how the chip works so that the memory is not seated on top of the actual
05:40processor.
05:41They're separated. And I think because of those things, it's going to be a lot more efficient.
05:45I think they said up to 20%, if not more, efficient than the A19 Pro.
05:50So it's not just about the size of the battery.
05:52It's the chip and the software and all of that working together.
05:56And I think that it's going to give them an advantage.
05:59But also in terms of performance, I think it's going to help too, especially for gaming.
06:04They showed off some console quality games that can play up to like 120 frames per second.
06:09And it's obviously more immersive when you have that big display.
06:13Wow.
06:14Now let's talk about the other huge change over at Apple, John Ternus taking over from Tim Cook.
06:20What does his engineering and product background tell you about where Apple could be headed?
06:26Sure.
06:26I think for now, it kind of just feels like a continuation of Cook's legacy.
06:32But it kind of makes sense because the iPhone Duo was in development long before Cook decided to step down.
06:39But at the same time, Ternus is known for having an eye for detail and being an engineer.
06:44So I actually think that he's going to have a huge focus on products.
06:50And obviously making sure that this device is a success.
06:52But I think the next true test for him is AI and especially AI hardware, right?
06:58What's going to be Apple's answer to smart glasses?
07:01Are they going to actually enter the market?
07:03Or are they going to be scared off by all of the privacy concerns that people have?
07:08And one thing that was really interesting from yesterday's keynote are the audio features that are built into the Apple
07:13Watch.
07:13So they have this live rewind feature.
07:16So if someone comes to your table and you're at a restaurant, you're like,
07:19well, what did that person say?
07:20And then you can go back and see what they said.
07:22So imagine like one of the rumors is that Apple is working on like an AI pendant that you would
07:27sort of wear around all day.
07:29And it might like sense your world and always be listening and stuff like that.
07:32So I'm excited for this next chapter of sort of like AI plus hardware innovation that could come under Ternus'
07:40leadership.
07:41Yeah, do you see any of those innovations coming to some of the existing products that so many of us
07:48have become accustomed to using?
07:51Yeah, I mean, I think a good example is that AirPods with cameras, right?
07:56So they're supposedly called the AirPods Ultra, and it actually leaked in Apple's own software.
08:01So you know that at least that they're working on it, even though they won't comment on the device.
08:05But what's interesting is that as soon as that leaked, people are like, I don't, or a lot of people
08:10were saying,
08:10I don't want cameras on my AirPods, I don't want to be followed around and not knowing I'm being filmed.
08:16But I think the difference with that device based on how it's being positioned is that the cameras are infrared,
08:22they wouldn't be recording what's around you, and they would only help you sense things or look at things and
08:27know what they are,
08:28like visual intelligence, like what's the rating for this restaurant, or tell me about this landmark, that sort of stuff.
08:34So, but even then, I think the backlash is pretty telling.
08:38So they have to be really careful entering that kind of market.
08:41Definitely. A lot of interesting and exciting stuff coming from there.
08:46Thank you so much, Mark Spoonhour, Global Editor-in-Chief of Tom's Guide.
08:50It's been a pleasure having you today.
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