iPhone Duo Foldable: A Step Back for Vertical Video, or a Return to Landscape?

Apple's foldable device, the iPhone Duo (as rumored), raises an interesting question about the video-watching experience: is vertical video really suited to foldables? According to a recent analysis from a YouTube channel, if the Duo becomes popular, we may see a return to landscape video, because vertical video isn't really enjoyable on this device.

The Awkward Vertical Video Experience on the Duo

According to the YouTube channel's analysis, on the Duo's outer display, apps like Instagram shrink the video to fit the screen, so the video is cropped vertically and becomes closer to square. When you open the inner display, the screen height is the same, so you get the same square video. Then you have to rotate the device to portrait mode to scroll through videos, which feels absurd. This is completely different from the quick vertical video viewing experience on a regular smartphone.

"Holding a tablet in your hand and scrolling like this is not the same experience," the analysis notes. All foldable phones involve a compromise between the outer display size and the inner display size, and Apple made a specific choice: giving them the same aspect ratio. The analyst questions whether prioritizing this is really the right call.

The aspect ratio and cropping mechanism of vertical video

Vertical video typically uses a 9:16 aspect ratio (e.g., 1080×1920 pixels), the standard ratio designed for viewing while holding a phone upright. When such video is played on a screen with a different aspect ratio, the player has to make a choice: either add black bars (letterboxing) or crop the frame to fill the screen. On the Duo's outer display, because the screen itself is wider (close to 4:3 or a similar ratio), vertical video is scaled to match the height, and the width then exceeds the screen, so the left and right sides are cropped. As a result, the video goes from 9:16 to something closer to 1:1 square. This cropping not only loses information at the edges of the frame but also breaks the creator's original composition intent, greatly diminishing the immersion of vertical video.

The Compromises and Design Choices of Foldables

The core tension in foldable devices is the size balance between the outer display and the inner display. Apple chose to give the Duo's outer and inner displays the same aspect ratio, which causes vertical video to be cropped into a square on the outer display and prevents a better viewing experience on the inner display either. The analyst argues that this design choice may not be conducive to vertical video consumption.

"All foldable phones are a compromise between the size of the outer display and the size of the inner display," the analysis notes. Apple's prioritization of an identical aspect ratio may have sacrificed the vertical video experience. If the Duo becomes popular, we may see a return to landscape video, because vertical video isn't really enjoyable on this device.

The aspect ratio design trade-off of foldables

The core of foldable phone design is balancing the portability of the outer display with the large-screen experience of the inner display. There are two common approaches: one is for the outer display to use a traditional phone ratio (such as 21:9) and the inner display to be close to square or 4:3 when unfolded; the other is to keep the same aspect ratio on both inner and outer displays so that apps don't need to re-layout when folding and unfolding. Apple reportedly chose the latter, which favors app continuity but sacrifices flexibility in video viewing. The same aspect ratio means the inner display is just a proportional enlargement of the outer display, unable to provide more horizontal space for vertical video or more immersive vertical space for landscape video. This design orientation reflects Apple's emphasis on interaction consistency, but it also raises questions about the experience for specific content formats (such as vertical short video).

Potential Impact on the Video Content Ecosystem

If the iPhone Duo really does become popular, the format of video content could be affected. Vertical video is currently the dominant format on social media, but on foldable devices, landscape video may offer a better viewing experience. This could prompt content creators to reconsider the shooting and publishing format of their videos.

However, this analysis is based on the experience from a single source and has not yet been widely verified. The adoption rate of foldable devices, changes in user habits, and optimizations in app adaptation could all affect the final outcome.

Conclusion

The iPhone Duo's foldable design involves compromises in the vertical video experience, which could prompt a return to landscape video. But this view still needs more real-world usage data to be verified. For Apple, how to balance the outer and inner display experience in its foldable design will be a key challenge.

One-line Summary

iPhone Duo's identical aspect ratio design crops vertical video into a square, hurting the experience and possibly prompting a return to landscape video.

Paragraph Summary

According to a YouTube channel analysis, Apple's foldable iPhone Duo uses the same aspect ratio for its outer and inner displays, causing vertical video to be cropped into a square on the outer display; unfolding the inner display doesn't change the height, so the viewing experience doesn't improve, and you even have to rotate the device to scroll through videos, which feels absurd. The analysis argues that all foldable phones compromise between outer and inner display sizes, and Apple's prioritization of an identical aspect ratio may have sacrificed the vertical video experience. If the Duo becomes popular, landscape video may return, because vertical video isn't interesting on this device. However, the analysis is based on a single source and needs more data to verify.