iPhone Duo new features explained: Split View, poses, StandBy and the hidden camera

1. Split View on iPhone

For the first time, an iPhone can run two apps side by side. You can also open two windows of the same app — two Notes, two Safari pages — or keep Siri open alongside what you're reading. Netflix, Zoom and Slack updated their apps for the new screen before launch.

2. Poses: the phone knows how it's being held

Apple describes several positions iOS responds to: closed, portrait, landscape, seated (half-folded like a small laptop) and standing (propped up like a tent). Turn the phone on its side and the interface re-orients; flip it over and it switches to the display that faces you.

3. StandBy anywhere — no charger needed

On other iPhones, StandBy only appears when the phone is charging on its side. On iPhone Duo, set it down and StandBy can appear on whichever display faces up, turning it into a clock, photo frame or widget hub on your desk or bedside table.

4. A split keyboard for thumbs

When the display is partly folded, the keyboard splits in two so each thumb can reach its half comfortably — much easier than stretching across a 7.6-inch screen.

5. Cameras that use both screens

• The FaceTime camera hides beneath the inner display, so video calls use the full screen.
• Center Stage on the outer camera keeps you framed during calls.
• When you take someone's photo, they can see the preview on the outer display.
• 4K120 Dolby Vision video and cinematic effects applied after capture at up to 60 fps.

6. Apple Intelligence and Siri AI

iPhone Duo supports Apple Intelligence and the Siri AI beta, with on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute. Apple says Apple Intelligence is available in 15 languages. Check whether a specific feature supports your language before relying on it.