Apples New iPhone Duo Is Here. How Do Consumer Technology Journalists Review It?

It doesn’t flip — it folds.That was the buzz when Apple unveiled its new iPhone Duo this week at a media event in Cupertino, Calif.

The event gave journalists the opportunity to get a first look at the device, and to briefly try it for themselves ahead of its public release in October.Brian X.Chen, the lead consumer technology writer for The New York Times; Brenda Stolyar, who covers smartphones for Wirecutter, The Times’s product recommendation site; and Caitlin McGarry, who edits Wirecutter tech coverage, were there to see the device — and its faint crease — themselves.

They explained their processes for testing new tech gadgets, and what goes into a review.This conversation has been edited and condensed.You don’t have access to the iPhone Duo yet.

But Apple hosted a press event that gave reporters a peek at how it works.Can you describe what these types of events are like, and what you can glean from them?BRIAN X.

CHEN: Steve Jobs is widely credited for pioneering the product unveiling event, which has been a form of marketing for tech companies showing off new inventions.Lots of companies, including Samsung, Google and Meta, now emulate it.

In general, members of the press get invitations to an event where tech executives show off a product; typically we have hands-on time to try the product before it becomes available to the rest of the world.It’s a small window that gives us a glimpse into whether a new technology will become a trend or be a fad.CAITLIN McGARRY: We also usually get to chat with employees at the companies who have worked on the products, and ask them questions about decisions or features that are confusing or unclear.

In the worst-case scenarios at these launch events, the products are behind glass or are running a demo version of the software (or a looping video) that doesn’t replicate the real-world experience of using it.With the iPhone Duo, we were able to try the actual device for about 45 minutes.Brian, you write Th...