Nothing CEO Says iPhone Duo’s $2,000 Price Outpaces Its Camera and Face ID Features

The iPhone Duo’s foldable screen may be its biggest draw, but Nothing CEO Carl Pei says buyers are paying a premium while giving up features found on less expensive iPhones. His criticism puts the focus on a practical question for shoppers: how much is the larger folding display worth if the cameras and unlocking experience fall short of Apple’s Pro models?

In a short YouTube video, Pei calls the iPhone Duo “a waste of money.” He points to the lack of a telephoto camera and Face ID, along with a front-facing camera that is worse than the one in the iPhone 18 Pro. Those omissions stand out because the Duo is said to cost $2,000, more than an iPhone Pro.

“It’s $2,000 and costs more than an iPhone Pro with fewer features… so you’re paying more and you’re getting less,” Pei says. That comparison has a clear limit: the Duo’s folding display gives buyers a larger screen that Pro models don’t offer. Whether that trade makes sense depends on how much someone values the foldable design against the missing camera and face-unlocking features.

The foldable screen has to carry the argument

Pei also questions the attention being paid to the Duo’s folding animation. He says people seem more excited about the effect than about the hinge or cameras, describing it as “just an animation at the end of the day.” A polished animation can make a device feel satisfying to open and close, but it doesn’t answer questions about day-to-day use: how the hinge feels, how useful the inner display is, or whether the camera setup meets expectations.

He does give Apple credit for the small details that can shape how a product is received. That may help explain why the animation has attracted attention, even if it isn’t, by itself, a strong reason to spend $2,000.

There’s another straightforward explanation for the Duo’s likely appeal: Apple already has a large base of iPhone users. For someone who wants to try a foldable phone, a device running iOS may feel like a more familiar step than switching to an Android foldable. That familiarity could matter as much as the hardware, though it doesn’t settle the value question Pei raises.

The Duo could still be a strong choice for buyers who want a folding iPhone and expect to make frequent use of the extra screen space. For people who prioritize zoom photography, selfie quality or Face ID, the omissions are more consequential. The Pro comparison makes those trade-offs easy to see; shoppers will need to weigh them against the Duo’s larger folding display.

Pre-order demand could bring a security risk

Demand is difficult to measure before orders begin, but the iPhone Duo is expected to attract buyers. Pre-orders open Friday, 16th October, and the phone may be in short supply. Analyst Jeff Pu has suggested, via 9to5Mac, that “hinge constraints” are slowing production.

That prospect has prompted advertisements for pre-order bots, some of which claim they can secure multiple phones. Such offers may look appealing to shoppers worried about missing out, and to resellers seeking several units, but handing over account or payment details to an unfamiliar bot creates a direct risk.

Francis Fong Po-kiu, honorary president of the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation, told The Standard that “even if you succeed in securing the phone, the follow-up cost, including stolen personal or credit card data, is extremely high.” These tools may charge a fee and request payment information to place an order. If their developers misuse that information, a successful purchase could come with an unwelcome cost. A bot could also contain malware that exposes other sensitive data stored on a device.

Fake pre-order pages pose a similar risk. Malwarebytes warns buyers to watch for fraudulent pages posing as a way to order the phone. A site that looks convincing can still be designed to collect personal or payment details.

The safer route is to buy directly from Apple or a retailer you trust. Buyers can prepare their details in advance using Apple’s ‘Get Ready’ feature, then place an order when pre-orders open at 5am PT / 8am ET / 1pm BST / 11pm AEDT on Friday, 16th October. That approach won’t change the Duo’s hardware trade-offs, but it avoids putting payment details in the hands of an unknown bot while buyers try to secure one.