iPhone Duo’s Rs 3 lakh price gets you a foldable, but not a Pro-level main camera; Here’s why

Apple’s iPhone Duo has become one of the most popular foldables after launch for its slim and compact form factor, refined software, and Pro-level performance. However, the foldable reportedly misses out on a Pro-level camera. Despite being priced over Rs 3 lakh, the iPhone Duo shares similar camera specs with the iPhone 17e, which is Apple’s affordable iPhone.

This has raised eyebrows since buyers will be paying a hefty amount for a foldable phone that does not feature the company’s latest Pro-level camera technology.

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iPhone Duo misses out on Pro camera specs

According to iPhone Duo’s specification page, the foldable features a 26mm main camera, f/1.6 aperture, Hybrid Focus Pixels, sensor-shift optical image stabilisation (OIS), and the ability to produce a 12MP 2x telephoto crop from the same sensor.

On the other hand, the iPhone 17e also has a 26mm, f/1.6 main camera with Hybrid Focus Pixels, highlighting that core camera specifications are almost identical.

The only difference between the two cameras is that the iPhone Duo mentions “sensor-shift” OIS, whereas the iPhone 17e only mentions OIS. But how does sensor shift impact the camera experience? Well, it helps the camera sensor move to compensate for hand movement, rather than relying only on movement of the lens. This can help keep photos and videos steadier.

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For comparison, iPhone 17 also has sensor-shift OIS, but it uses Apple's different “100% Focus Pixels” terminology. The iPhone 18 Pro uses that same autofocus terminology, while the Duo and 17e use “Hybrid Focus Pixels.”

Therefore, the iPhone Duo’s main camera appears to be a middle ground between the iPhone 17e and iPhone 17, pairing the iPhone 17’s sensor-shift stabilisation with the iPhone 17e’s Hybrid Focus Pixels.

It should be noted that Apple has not revealed the sensor size or pixel size of the iPhone Duo's main camera. Therefore, we cannot conclusively say that the Duo and 17e have the same physical camera sensor. The only official similarity Apple has revealed so far is the “Hybrid Focus Pixels” terminology used for both cameras.