The Apple Pencil turned the Duo into my new favorite notebook

The iPhone Duo’s new Apple Pencil support makes the foldable phone a surprisingly enjoyable place to write and draw, giving it another use beyond reading and photography. The writer found that its book-like shape encouraged a notebook setup, though the appeal may be subject to the familiar excitement of a new notebook that eventually fades.

Support arrived with iOS 27.2 and works with the USB-C Apple Pencil, which lacks pressure sensitivity but supports handwriting and drawing. Apple Notes offers handwriting refinement that tidies writing while preserving its character, although it can misread letters and pauses briefly before updating. The writer found few apps designed for the stylus, but enjoyed experimenting with Notes and a minimalist home screen.