Federighi: iPhone Duo Won't Replace the iPad Mini Yet

Apple senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi told MKBHD that the new iPhone Duo is not intended to replace the iPad family, though he conceded the foldable handset could overlap with the iPad mini for some users.

"Over time people will fall into clear patterns for when they choose an iPhone Duo or an iPad," Federighi said, drawing a parallel with how users settled into distinct roles for iPad and Mac. "In the past few months, when I started using the iPhone and then sat down and wanted to focus deeper on content or read something, opening the device was wonderful. Often in portrait mode. I could easily flip through content. I think users over time will find their own way of using it."

Federighi used the iPad and Mac relationship as an example: users gradually developed natural habits about when to reach for an iPad and when to reach for a Mac. He said he expects similar patterns to emerge between iPhone Duo and iPad.

He specifically pointed to the iPad mini as the model most likely to share use cases with a foldable iPhone. "But I agree that for someone who, for example, had an iPad mini, this device can often fill the same space for them," he said.

iOS redesigned for a new form factor

Federighi also addressed the software side of the Duo. He said Apple tried to design the iOS experience for the device from the ground up instead of merely stretching or compressing the existing interface to fit a larger or different display.

"I think in many other devices it has been that they say: 'We're just going to stretch or compress the experience for every new form factor we have.' But for us it was about designing the whole experience from the start," he said.

From Federighi's point of view, the Duo is not a one-to-one iPad replacement: users will choose between the two based on how they use each device. He acknowledged, however, that the Duo's size and how people use it could make it serve a similar role for some current iPad mini users.