iPhone Duo vs. Microsoft Surface Duo: one name, two very different devices

There’s been a lot of talk about the iPhone Duo (see our iPhone Duo hands-on) since Apple announced the company’s first foldable smartphone in early September. While the device isn’t revolutionary (foldable phones have been around in the Android space for a while), it marks a departure for Apple. But besides the features, functions and the compact and stylish design, people especially focus on the name.

While you might not think the word “Duo” in the moniker would be controversial, many people point out that this is the name Microsoft uses for its Surface Duo foldable products. (There’s also the Duolingo language app and the Google Duo VoIP service that were eventually integrated into Google Meet, but those are stories for another day.) Because of this obvious comparison, the Internet has fiercely roasted Apple. But when we look back in history, the Apple Duo is the result of many years of innovation and failure. And Apple has, in fact, already used the Duo name with its PowerBook Duo back in 1992. So it seems that some of the accusations of copied naming aren’t entirely fair, as they date back to the early days of the Apple versus Microsoft rivalry.

In 1992, Apple introduced a device called the Apple PowerBook Duo. The laptop-style computer wasn’t just a passing fad, it was produced until 1997. It was compact and lightweight (for the time) and could connect to an accessory called the Duo Dock (that’s still what it’s called) to become a full-fledged desktop computer. The idea was that you could use it both at home with a desktop setup and on the go as a travel computer. Granted, it wasn’t very popular, with disappointing specs by today’s standards. But most importantly, it was a product called Duo from Apple.

Additionally, when you explore Apple’s trademarks, while the company now owns the trademark for iPhone Duo, its list of trademarks also interestingly includes the MagSafe Duo charger. This dual charger, introduced in 2020, is designed to wirelessly charge two Apple devices simultaneously, like an iPhone and an Apple Watch or AirPods. So, almost six years ago, Apple was already experimenting with the name Duo.

The Microsoft Surface Duo launched in 2020, the same year Apple introduced the MagSafe Duo charger. The compact phone/tablet hybrid device was essentially composed of two screens attached at hip level (more of a hinge). It ran Android and had some cool features, like 360-degree rotation capabilities. But our reviewer called it adequate as a phone and “pretty bad” as a tablet.

A year later, Microsoft released the Surface Duo 2 (see our Surface Duo 2 review), which our reviewer once again described as a “disappointment.” This time there was a proper hinge, but the design was awkward. Its Android 11 with Duo 2 software was unreliable, it didn’t have an exterior screen, and the camera app wasn’t good. Compared to other foldable phones on the market at the time, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, it wasn’t a worthy competitor. Some reviewers felt that the Surface Duo 2 excelled at multitasking with split-screen views, and that’s something Apple also does well with the iPhone Duo, based on early hands-on experiences.

So although the Duo name was used by Microsoft years ago, it was for a failed line that this line was long since discontinued. Microsoft discontinued the Surface Duo 3 in 2023 and had plans for another foldable that never came to fruition. These products do not have such a legacy that Apple “steals” the name and recycles it. Plus, Apple itself had already used the Duo name anyway. The iPhone Duo may not be the first foldable Duo, but it will likely be much better received than the old one.