Apple’s first foldable finally has a name and a price: the iPhone Duo, starting at $1,999 for 256 GB when it launches October 23. It’s sleek, it’s expensive, and it has one design choice that’s already sparking debate. When the phone is folded, the Touch ID sensor and Camera Control button sit on the right edge, which makes one-handed use a whole lot easier if you’re right-handed.
Left-handed users noticed immediately. A MacRumors poll found nearly half of voters say the UI’s handedness will greatly impact them, and with roughly 10.6% of people favoring their left hand for motor tasks, that’s a lot of potential customers feeling overlooked. Critics are already comparing it to the 2010 iPhone 4 antenna saga, when users were essentially told they were holding the phone wrong.
Apple could address some of this through accessibility settings, and plenty of southpaws say they’re used to adapting. But when a phone costs this much, the question is fair: should the design meet you halfway? Are you left-handed, and would the Duo’s layout stop you from buying one?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.