Apple’s first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, will add Apple Pencil support with the iOS 27.2 update expected next week, according to confirmation on X from Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach.
When Apple introduced the Duo in September, it stated that Apple Pencil support would arrive “later this year.” Given the device’s October 23 launch and Apple’s usual pattern of larger software updates later in the year, many observers anticipated the feature might not land until December. Weinbach reported that support is already active in the iOS 27.2 Release Candidate, which became available earlier this week. He confirmed the functionality works on his own iPhone Duo after installing the RC build.
iOS 27.2 is expected to reach the public around Monday, October 26. The Duo itself ships this Friday, October 23, running iOS 27.1. Early buyers who receive units this week and update promptly should gain Pencil access within a few days; those already running the Release Candidate have the feature available now.
Support is limited to the Apple Pencil (USB-C). The Apple Pencil Pro and prior models are not compatible. The USB-C Pencil pairs and charges through a port concealed under a sliding cap rather than via magnetic attachment, a practical match for the Duo’s design, which lacks a flat magnetic charging surface. Users can draw, annotate, and scroll in supported apps on both the 7.6-inch inner folding display and the 5.4-inch outer cover screen.
The USB-C Pencil includes tilt sensitivity useful for basic sketching and note-taking. It does not offer pressure sensitivity, haptic feedback, barrel roll, squeeze gestures, or Find My tracking. This is the first iPhone with native Apple Pencil compatibility, giving the Duo’s larger inner canvas additional utility for markup, notes, and precise input once the update arrives.
Apple has not issued a formal confirmation beyond its original “later this year” statement, but the presence of working support in the Release Candidate indicates the capability is ready for the public release.
MacDailyNews Take: Soon-to-be iPhone Duo users, get your Apple Pencils poised!
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