Technology1 min read

The Apple Pencil turned the Duo into my new favorite notebook

By · Via The Verge · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The rollout of iOS 27.2 expands the $2,000 iPhone Duo beyond its standard duties as an e-reader and camera by introducing stylus input. This update provides digital handwriting capabilities designed to turn the folding hardware into a distraction-free journal. While the device remains heavy, the new software features help bridge the gap between traditional paper notebooks and modern smartphones. It specifically pairs with the USB-C Apple Pencil, bringing tools like scribble and auto-refining handwriting directly to native applications.

Key points

  • Built-in scribble functionality lets owners write by hand to produce typed text in applic…: Built-in scribble functionality lets owners write by hand to produce typed text in applications like Safari and Messages.
  • The native Notes application includes an auto-refine feature that pauses to neaten handwr…: The native Notes application includes an auto-refine feature that pauses to neaten handwriting and improve overall legibility.
  • Stylus integration helps transform the chunky, expensive folding device into a dedicated…: Stylus integration helps transform the chunky, expensive folding device into a dedicated tool for capturing everyday thoughts.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Apple’s $2,000 folding phone is a surprisingly good stand-in for a $20 notebook.

The Apple Pencil turned the Duo into my new favorite notebook

Ignore the pile of previous favorite notebooks; this is the one that’s gonna change it all for me.

The Apple Pencil turned the Duo into my new favorite notebook

Ignore the pile of previous favorite notebooks; this is the one that’s gonna change it all for me.

Believe me; nothing gets me going quite like a new notebook. This one will be different, I think. This time, I really will take it everywhere. Inspiration can strike at any moment, and you have to be ready, says David Sedaris in that one MasterClass I watched on a flight. With this one special new notebook, I will see the world differently. I’ll steal moments for myself to write, rather than pulling out my phone to scroll at every opportunity like a trained monkey. And a few weeks, a month, or maybe a year later, I’ll concede that it didn’t change everything and add it to my notebook graveyard.…

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