iOS 27.2 brings Apple Pencil support to the folding iPhone Duo

Apple's folding iPhone Duo can now be used with a stylus. A hands-on report from The Verge describes how the iOS 27.2 update, released this week, officially adds Apple Pencil support to the $2,000 device, making it the first iPhone to work with the accessory.

What the Pencil can do

The support covers the USB-C version of the Apple Pencil, which means there is no pressure sensitivity. Features familiar from the iPad carry over, including the ability to handwrite in text fields in apps such as Messages and Safari and have the writing converted to typed text.

Apple's own Notes app is where the stylus works best, according to the report. An auto-refine option, available on the iPad since 2024, tidies handwriting while keeping its character, which the reviewer found especially helpful on the Duo's relatively small screens. The feature is not flawless: it sometimes misread letters, and it applies its corrections only after a short pause, which could interrupt a steady writing rhythm.

• The matte finish on the inner display gives the Pencil slight resistance, which felt better than writing on the glossy cover screen.
• The Pencil attaches magnetically to the hinge when the phone is closed, although it is longer than the device.
• Few third-party apps are built for the new stylus support yet.

The reviewer also reshaped the home screen around writing and drawing and concluded that most tasks can be handled through search and Control Center, noting that the familiar app grid is "mostly for emotional support" at this point. The broader verdict on the Duo remains cautious: it is described as heavy and chunky, and the advice is to wait for a second generation.

What it means for users

For people following computers and mobile devices, the update shows foldable phones moving toward tablet-style tasks such as note-taking and sketching. App support is still thin, so buyers interested in stylus input may want to check which of their regular tools have been adapted before relying on a phone for handwritten work.