Keyboard on the inner screen

iPhone Duo's 7.6-inch inner display uses the familiar iOS keyboard in a wider form, plus a split layout that puts half the keys under each thumb. In the Portrait section of Apple's iPhone Duo page, the company says you can "type comfortably on a wider keyboard."

The split keyboard showed up in early hands-on videos that 9to5Mac rounded up on Sep 18, with the keyboard splitting into two halves when the open phone was held sideways. Here's what Apple and reviewers have confirmed since the Oct 23 launch, and what's still unclear.

Which keyboard layouts does the inner screen have?

Two are confirmed: the full-width keyboard and the split keyboard. iClarified's Nov 4 tips video, tried on an iPhone Duo running iOS 27, shows that with the phone open in landscape, a three-dot menu at the top left of the keyboard offers Split and Full.

What about a floating or one-handed keyboard? Apple hasn't said whether iPhone Duo offers the iPad's floating keyboard or a one-handed layout on the inner display, and none of the reviews cited here mention one.

For one-handed typing, the outer display looks like the better tool. In his first-day impressions, Macworld's Jason Cross found the outer screen's extra-wide keyboard larger and easier to use, and wider than the one on iPhone 18 Pro Max.

What happens when the phone is partly folded?

The keyboard splits on its own. MacRumors reported on Sep 10 that Apple detailed a split keyboard that appears when the display is partly folded, and Tech Advisor's review found the keyboard splitting in two when the Duo is half-folded.

There's a practical reason. Apple's Human Interface Guidelines say that when iPhone Duo is partially open, a folding region divides the inner display and content stays clear of the center. MacRumors adds that content shifts away from the crease in that posture because taps there are harder to register, so it appears the split layout exists to keep keys off the fold.

How does typing feel, according to reviewers?

Mostly good. In his 9to5Mac review, Chance Miller wrote that typing on the inner display in portrait "is very natural." Landscape means stretching a little, he added, though he still found it doable.

Longer writing holds up too. Macworld's Britta O'Boyle wrote a feature of roughly 2,000 words in Pages on iPhone Duo during her week with it and said the on-screen keyboard reshapes itself to suit each posture.

The crease is the one physical caveat. Chance Miller found you can feel the crease on the touchscreen, especially in portrait, but said it stops being a problem once you get used to it. More on that in the iPhone Duo crease explainer.

Dictation and third-party keyboards

Other keyboards are added the usual way, under Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, according to Apple's iPhone User Guide. That page doesn't include anything specific to iPhone Duo.

There's a catch for dictation. A developer reported on Apple's Developer Forums that on iPhone Duo with iOS 27.1 or later, the dictation button sits inside the system keyboard next to the space bar, so it isn't available while a third-party keyboard is active. An Apple DTS engineer replied, citing Apple's archived custom keyboard guide, that keyboard extensions can't access the microphone for dictation, and suggested switching to the system keyboard to dictate. That's a developer's report and a forum reply, not Apple documentation. Apple hasn't said whether that placement will change.

If you'd rather not dictate, Apple says in its iPhone Duo announcement that Siri can help users write and edit virtually anywhere they type, by describing what they need.

Can you write with Apple Pencil instead?

Yes, with the right Pencil. 9to5Mac reports that iOS 27.2, released Oct 26, added Apple Pencil support to iPhone Duo, and that only Apple Pencil (USB-C) works; Apple Pencil Pro and other models aren't supported. Apple's iPhone Duo page notes that hover isn't supported with Apple Pencil (USB-C).

Handwriting into text fields is less clear. Gadget Hacks reports that the Pencil supports Scribble, which converts handwriting into typed text, with the option under Settings > Apple Pencil. Apple's iPhone Duo page and announcement don't mention Scribble, so treat that as reported rather than confirmed. Setup and limits are in the Apple Pencil on iPhone Duo guide.

What's changing in iOS 27.3?

The iOS 27.3 beta changes the outer display's keyboard, not the inner one. 9to5Mac, citing Beta Profiles, reports narrower keys and a slightly thinner, smaller font. Features in a beta can change before release, so see the iOS 27.3 beta guide before installing it.

Tips for typing on the inner screen

Match the layout to the grip. 9to5Mac's review found portrait typing very natural, while the split layout shows up in landscape and in the partly folded posture.

Keep the system keyboard handy if you use a third-party one. Based on the developer report above, switching back is currently the way to reach the dictation button.

Type in one app while reading another. Apple says Split View puts two apps side by side on iPhone for the first time; the Split View guide covers the gestures. For more setup ideas, see the first settings to change and more iPhone Duo tips.

Bottom line

Typing on the inner display is one of iPhone Duo's quieter strengths, reviewers found, and the split keyboard handles the awkward partly folded posture. The gaps are a floating keyboard Apple hasn't mentioned and dictation with third-party keyboards. We'll update this guide if iOS 27.3 or a later update changes the inner keyboard. Which layout do you use most?