Apple iPhone Duo has a familiar shape: Does it bring back the BlackBerry Passport nostalgia?
Apple unveiled its first-ever foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, at the “Surprise and Shine” event on Wednesday, September 9, marking the largest design change to its flagship product in history.
However, the sleek new Apple device has left seasoned tech enthusiasts feeling a strong sense of déjà vu — the iPhone Duo is drawing unexpected comparisons to a cult classic from a bygone era of mobile computing, the BlackBerry Passport.
The dimensions and uncanny resemblance
Unlike the tall, narrow foldable phones that have dominated the market, the iPhone Duo opts for a broader, stouter profile. When closed, its 5.4-inch outer display creates a wide aspect ratio that sits uniquely in the palm of your hand.
It is this specific, pocket-stretching width that immediately sparked nostalgia across social media. When folded, the iPhone Duo shares the exact physical footprint of a standard international passport—a deliberate design choice that inadvertently mirrors the BlackBerry, one of the most polarising smartphones ever made.
Two passport-sized smartphones, a decade apart
More than ten years ago, in 2014, BlackBerry launched the BlackBerry Passport. Designed primarily for enterprise users, it defied the rising trend of rectangular touchscreen slabs by offering a completely square screen paired with a physical QWERTY keyboard, creating a device optimised for reading spreadsheets and drafting emails. It was modelled entirely on the dimensions of an actual passport.
Fast forward to 2026, Apple unexpectedly revisited this exact ergonomic concept, swapping the boardroom aesthetic for an ultra-premium, modern foldable experience.
Similar proportions, but different technology
While their physical silhouettes align perfectly, the technology powering these two devices is a decade apart, thanks to rapid technological innovation over the years.
The BlackBerry Passport relied on a rigid 4.5-inch square LCD and a tactile, touch-sensitive physical keyboard.
But the iPhone Duo’s passport dimensions have been achieved through cutting-edge hinge mechanics and flexible glass. The front is a modern edge-to-edge OLED panel, and when opened, it unfurls into a continuous 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR internal display.
Instead of physical keys, the Duo relies on a specialised version of iOS 27, optimised for split-view multitasking and powered by the A20 Pro chip.
Netizens react
Social media users pointed out iPhone Duo’s uncanny resemblance to BlackBerry Passport almost immediately after its launch yesterday. “BlackBerry Passport” also briefly trended alongside Apple’s official event hashtags.
Netizens praised Apple’s shift toward a wider, more reading-friendly aspect ratio and couldn’t help but reminisce about the BlackBerry days.
“Apple iPhone duo is the size of a Passport. Blackberry’s last fun device before it went Android with Priv and Keyone was called a Blackberry Passport. Love that size! Even folded, it’s a way better dimension than a long bar in my hand,” a user said.
“Love the iPhone Duo form factor for many reasons – including its square-ish shape when folded. Reminiscent of the BlackBerry Passport, still one of my all-time favourite phones,” added another user.
A netizen said: “These foldable phone square form reminds me of Blackberry Passport. One of the best phones I’ve used. That keyboard, c’est tres bon👌🏾👌🏾”
A sceptical user said, “That Passport was the last thing Blackberry made!”
