Steve Jobs said there would never be an iPhone stylus but iPhone Duo just proved him wrong — and it'll be a better device for it

(Image credit: Future) I have long argued that the iPhone Duo should break the original commandment Steve Jobs laid down when the very first iPhone launched over 19 years ago. "Nobody wants a stylus," Jobs declared, "if you see a stylus, they blew it."It's a decree that made sense at the time, but things have changed since 2007 — especially after the launch of the Apple Pencil for iPad in 2015.Frankly, I'm of the opinion that Apple would have blown it if the foldable iPhone Duo didn't have a stylus. Rumors suggested things might be a little dicey on that front, but Apple confirmed that the Duo will support the Apple Pencil (USB-C). This is definitely a good thing, especially if Apple wants to angle the foldable as a productivity deviceiPhone Duo is a tablet in disguise (Image credit: Future)Smartphones were very different when the original iPhone was released. Physical keyboards and styli were very common, because touchscreens of the time generally sucked. So Apple had an uphill battle trying to convince people that the iPhone's touchscreen could change all that. Throwing a stylus into the mix shortly afterwards would amount to Apple conceding that its multi-touch display couldn't hack it.Apple did eventually get some heat for releasing the Apple Pencil eight years later, especially after Jobs' harsh words. But technically speaking, since it was only compatible with the iPad, Apple hadn't gone against Jobs' wishes. (Image credit: Future)Plus, that was around the time Apple started leveraging the iPad as a productivity device and meant the tablet would benefit from a little more finesse than stubby human digits could offer. A mouse isn't practical for a portable device, but a stylus can work pretty darn well. Especially when you consider that handwriting and drawing become real possibilities when you have that precision control.I say that from the experience using my own iPad. I much prefer doing actual work on a laptop, with a full keyboard and mouse combination. But that doesn't mean the iPad isn't also a useful tool, and the addition of the stylus lets it do things that my other devices can't.Sign up to the Tom's iGuide weekly newsletter with coverage on everything from product launches to software updates, this is your go-to source for the latest updates on all the best Apple content.I'm not exaggerating when I say that the iPhone Duo is effectively an iPad hiding inside an iPhone. The 7.6-inch display is only a fraction of an inch shorter than the iPad mini 7, and the aspect ratio is roughly the same — around 4:3. So it makes sense that Apple would offer the iPhone Duo with all the same benefits of owning an iPad — stylus and all.This helps the Duo stand out from other foldables (Image credit: Future)Despite the fact that tablets have had stylus support for years, foldables have not been so lucky. In fact only Samsung really took that particular feature seriously, but it later removed the feature from the Galaxy Z Fold 7 with the goal of reducing the thickness of the design. Plus the S Pen was a special kind that only worked with foldable screens, and wasn't compatible with other stylus-friendly phones and tablets.When the iPhone Duo launches later this year, it will have two distinct advantages. The first is that it will be the only mainstream foldable phone to actually support a stylus. The other is that it uses the exact same stylus as Apple's iPads, meaning you don't need a specific accessory that only works with the foldable screen. You're free to swap between devices just as you would if you owned multiple iPads.The Apple Pencil USB-C is the cheapest stylus Apple makes too, and can often be found discounted outside of the usual big sales events. While it's not ideal to have to buy additional accessories for your $2,000 phone, you're at least not forced to buy the most expensive Apple Pencil Pro. (Image credit: Future)Admittedly this also means that the Duo misses out on all the advanced features that come with the more advanced Apple Pencils. The Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil 2 both offer pressure sensitivity, wireless pairing, a double tap feature, haptic feedback, with the Pro also supporting the barrel roll and squeeze gestures. Both models can also be connected to Apple's Find My network, in the event that you lose them.The Apple Pencil USB-C is a lot more basic by comparison, though it does still offer all the general stylus features you'd expect. Plus, you have to remember that the Apple Pencil 2 and Pencil Pro can only be recharged wirelessly, via a compatible iPads magnetic connector. Since the iPhone Duo doesn't seem to have that feature, the more advanced styli would be totally useless.Oh, and considering reports that Apple could have scrapped the Duo's stylus support over fears it may damage the foldable display, it does make sense that Apple doesn't want to encourage people to press too hard.Bottom line (Image credit: Future)There's a lot to like about the first foldable iPhone, as we discovered first hand during our iPhone Duo hands-on. The phone is well designed, durable, and in the words of Tom's Guide's Global Editor in chief Mark Spoonauer, "there's something magical about using the iPhone Duo" thanks to how it can seamlessly transition between tablet and phone modes. I Tried the iPhone Duo... Is It Worth It? - YouTube Watch On As expensive as the device is, this is looking like a best of both situations. You have all the benefits of a smartphone, including pocketability and the smaller cover display, combined with the larger tablet screen for things like watching movies or getting work done.You can only be so productive without the right tools, and just like robust multitasking, the addition of the Apple Pencil is one of them. It certainly makes that $2,000 price tag a little more palatable, knowing that you can get a full iPad experience on your phone without the normal iPhone limits.As useful as having a stylus on your phone can be, I think this is Apple's limit when it comes to bringing one to iPhone. And you know what? I think I would be ok with that, so long as the larger-screen devices like iPhone Duo and iPads kept them around. Otherwise, that extra screen space would be going to waste. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Subscribe to Tom's Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok. Finally, you can visit our dedicated Tom's Guide Savings Squad hub for expert help on getting the best products for less. More from Tom's GuideApple quietly jacks the prices of the iPhone 16, iPhone 17, and iPhone Air — here's how much you'll pay nowiPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max hands-on: Sneaky awesome upgrades, but worth the price hike?Apple Watch Ultra 4 first impressions: 5 reasons to buy and 2 reasons to skip Apple’s new rugged model Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.