iPhone Duo Without Face ID: What 50 Unlocks a Day Really Feel Like
The iPhone Duo has no Face ID — just side-button Touch ID with a deliberate delay Apple built in (and no toggle to remove it).
Across ~50 unlocks a day, reviewers logged the same verdict: it's a hold-not-tap, it fails with wet hands, it sits out of reach in portrait — and Face ID is the single most-missed feature coming from any other iPhone. Workarounds exist (Apple Watch unlock, wake-swipe-touch), but none restore the zero-friction glance.
Why is there no Face ID?
There wasn't room: the Face ID module needs more Z-axis depth than the Duo's thin halves allow. And unlike every other foldable — which ships a basic 2D face unlock via the selfie camera — Apple decided it was proper Face ID or nothing. So: nothing. Touch ID lives in the raised side power button, works with banking apps, and supports multiple fingers (reviewers recommend registering thumb + index for both hands).
What's the deal with the unlock delay?
Apple programmed a deliberate pause into every unlock: tap with your registered finger and the phone sits on the lock screen for a beat before unlocking if you keep holding. The logic is thoughtful — it gives you a chance to read notifications, which instant-unlock would skip. The problem: there's no toggle to turn it off, so the reader always feels slow compared to the Face ID glance you're used to.
Workaround discovered by MKBHD: wake the phone, swipe up, then touch the reader — that path unlocks near-instantly. It just takes three steps instead of zero.
What are the 4 daily frictions?
Mrwhosetheboss logged four frictions that add up across ~50 daily unlocks:
| # | Friction |
|---|---|
| 1 | Touch ID is a hold, not a tap — a tiny extra beat of friction, 50 times a day |
| 2 | Wet or greasy hands make it spotty |
| 3 | Portrait is awkward — the button is nowhere near your fingers; it's only comfortable in landscape |
| 4 | Thumb gymnastics — Face ID leaves your thumb in the optimal position; Touch ID forces you to move it away, unlock, then bring it back |
His summary: the Duo wants to feel like a magical sheet of glass you use thoughtlessly from any angle, like an iPad Pro — except the iPad Pro has Face ID, which works in every orientation.
Any way to make it less painful?
影视飓风 compared it directly against an iPad mini's Touch ID — and the iPad was faster. Three workarounds that actually help:
1. Apple Watch unlock — sounds absurd, works noticeably better.
2. Lengthen the auto-lock interval — set it to require unlock only every few hours.
3. The wake-swipe-touch sequence — three steps, but near-instant.
MKBHD's verdict stands across all reviewers: Face ID will be the #1 thing people miss coming from other iPhones — not the zoom camera, not the thinner body.
Known pain points
- ~50 unlocks a day, each with a beat of friction — it compounds into genuine annoyance within a week.
- In portrait orientation the button sits nowhere near your fingers; the phone is designed for landscape hands.
- Wet or greasy hands make it spotty — exactly when you're cooking or just washed up.
Quick answers
Does the iPhone Duo have Face ID?
How can I make iPhone Duo unlock faster?
Will I miss Face ID on the iPhone Duo?
📺 Review sources (3) — every number above comes from these hands-on tests
More DUO Lab tests
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