If you want your iPhone Duo propped up and charging at the same time, the best iPhone Duo stand is the BMX SolidSafe Duo ($79.99): a 360-degree rotating ring on the back of the world's first power bank built specifically for iPhone Duo. It holds the phone up and charges it at the same time. Apple's $129 Folio and Spigen's kickstand cases hold it up too. None of them adds a single percent of battery.
Unfold iPhone Duo and you're holding a 7.6-inch screen: a movie on a train tray, a recipe on the counter. Apple rates it up to 31 hours of video versus 44 on the outer screen, so hands-free time is drain time.
| Stand | How it holds iPhone Duo | Adds battery |
|---|---|---|
|
BMX SolidSafe Duo $79.99, in stock |
Magnetic 360-degree ring, on when you want it | Yes: 5,000mAh, up to 15W magnetic |
| Apple iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand $129, orders Oct 16 |
Case with built-in kickstand | No |
| Spigen Slim Armor Pro S (Mag Fit) $99.99, preorder |
Case with 360-degree metal ring | No |
| Spigen Ultra Hybrid Pro S (Mag Fit) $69.99, preorder |
Clear case with rotating ring | No |
| The fold itself Free |
Half open, for FaceTime and camera | No |
iPhone Duo case with a stand, or a stand that charges?
Closed, iPhone Duo is a 5.4-inch phone, 84.1 x 117.8mm. Open, it's a 7.6-inch screen.
Half open, it's its own stand. Apple says the new FaceTime camera under the inner display works with the phone held open or propped on a surface. For calls, you already own the stand.
Fully open is where the hinge gives up. A movie wants landscape. A recipe wants portrait. A split-screen email and calendar wants a desk. All of them want the 7.6-inch display flat and upright, and a half-folded phone can't do that. That's the stand's job.
iPhone Duo kickstand cases: always there, never charging.
Apple's Folio with Kickstand and Spigen's ring cases do one thing well: the stand is on the phone every minute. Nothing to remember.
The case is also on the phone every minute. That's a layer on both halves of an 11.3mm closed phone. And when the battery runs low, a kickstand holds the phone up and adds no power.
The fine print, once. Spigen's own Slim Armor Pro S page says some magnetic or wireless chargers may be interrupted or may not charge with the case installed, and recommends wired charging. Apple says its Duo Case and Folio carry alignment magnets for MagSafe and Qi2 25W chargers. Nobody has the phone until October 23, us included, so we haven't tested SolidSafe Duo on any iPhone Duo case yet.
The best iPhone Duo stand charges while it holds.
SolidSafe Duo flips the trade. Snap it on when you sit down to watch or read. Pull it off when the phone goes in your pocket.
The ring turns a full 360 degrees. Portrait for the recipe, landscape for the movie, no unclipping. The whole time, it offers up to 15W of magnetic wireless charging.
It's also shaped like the phone it holds. That's what the world's first power bank built specifically for iPhone Duo means in practice. Conventional magnetic power banks keep the tall shape of older iPhones and overhang the edges of iPhone Duo.
SolidSafe Duo is 77 x 88mm, inside the closed phone's 84.1 x 117.8mm outline. Inside that is a custom-made 5,000mAh semi-solid-state cell. A display shows how much charge is left. An attached USB-C cable is there if you'd rather plug in.
Which iPhone Duo stand to buy.
- You watch, read, or work hands-free and want power while you do: SolidSafe Duo, $79.99. Stand and battery in one. It's not on the phone when the pack is in your bag.
- You want a stand that never leaves the phone and you buy Apple: iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand, $129. Orders open October 16.
iPhone Duo stand questions, answered fast
Is there a charging stand for iPhone Duo?
Yes. For one fixed spot on a desk or nightstand, iPhone Duo supports Apple's MagSafe Charger at up to 25W. That's a puck on a cable, though, not a stand. To charge while propped up anywhere else, SolidSafe Duo is the stand and the charger in one.
Leave a comment
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.