When Apple introduced the iPhone X in 2017, it represented the future of the iPhone. It ditched the Home button in favor of an edge-to-edge screen. Touch ID was replaced by Face ID. It was a completely new concept for the iPhone, but it was too expensive by 2017 standards. It was the first iPhone to hit the market with a price tag of $999, several hundred dollars more than any other iPhone.
To cushion the blow, Apple also offered the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Those phones were good: easily the best version of that classic iPhone design with a faster chip, better cameras, and a new glass back with wireless charging. But compared to the iPhone X, they weren’t exactly an interesting upgrade. And that was the point.
reduced iPhone
In 2017, if you wanted a new iPhone, didn’t really care about the new design, and didn’t want to spend more than ever on an iPhone, you bought the iPhone 8. If you were an enthusiast and wanted to experience what the future of the iPhone would be like, you would buy an iPhone X.
Almost a decade later, Apple is doing something similar. The iPhone 18 Pro is the safe option, while the iPhone Duo is the experiment.
The iPhone 8, true, simply existed to make the iPhone X more desirable.
Foundry
But the reality is that most people don’t buy new iPhones every year. Apple itself told me that many customers keep the same iPhone for about three years, something that many critics don’t take into account when talking about a new iPhone. For Apple, someone who buys an iPhone 18 Pro is likely upgrading from an iPhone 15 Pro. That means three years of improvements to the camera, battery life, and some design changes all at once. It’s a big jump.
That said, the iPhone 18 Pro has a second purpose in this year’s lineup. It’s not just the iPhone that looks familiar, but it’s also what makes the iPhone Duo seem so much more exciting. For many tech enthusiasts like me, enthusiasm for the iPhone 18 Pro fades within minutes of setting up the new phone. The iPhone Duo, on the other hand, brings a whole new experience to the iPhone.
