With new camera controls, a foldable display and tools for shooting solo, local creators weigh in on how Apple’s latest devices could affect their workflow
For content creators, smartphones are increasingly used for more than capturing photos and videos. They are also used to edit footage, review material, and publish content directly to social media.
Apple’s latest iPhones introduce several features aimed at those uses.
The tech company unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max alongside the iPhone Duo, its first foldable smartphone, on September 9. The Pro models introduce additional camera controls, while the Duo combines a foldable display with features for self-filming and multitasking.
For Dubai-based filmmaker and content creator Dana Itani, it was the Duo that caught her attention.
“When I saw the iPhone Duo announcement yesterday, I was impressed with the two screens and the vertical and horizontal screen capabilities, all while maintaining the same aspect ratio so content will look consistent across both,” Itani told Khaleej Times.
As someone who works in film and watches movies regularly, she said moving between vertical and horizontal viewing was particularly interesting.
“As a filmmaker and someone who watches a lot of movies, switching from vertical to horizontal viewing seamlessly for movies was a big win,” she said.
A phone that lets creators see themselves
Itani also pointed to the possibilities created by the Duo’s outer display when filming.
The iPhone Duo comes with a 48MP dual camera system. Its folding design allows the outer display to be used while the rear camera is recording.
Duo Preview, for example, displays a live preview on the outer screen. Someone filming themselves can therefore see their framing while using the rear camera.
“My favourite camera feature is the Duo Preview, where the outer display shows you what the camera is filming, which is helpful if you’re filming yourself or someone is taking a picture of you,” Itani said.
For creators who regularly film themselves, the feature could make it easier to check framing without recording a test video first or using a separate monitor.
Itani also highlighted Smart Take, which recognises when people are posing and can automatically capture a photograph.
“As a content creator, I’m always the dedicated camera person during family events, so the Smart Take feature is amazing because now I don’t need to set the timer and run,” she said. “It automatically takes the photo when everyone’s posing, which is so good for family gatherings.”
The foldable design also allows the phone to be positioned for hands-free filming without a separate stand in some situations. The main camera supports 4K 120fps Dolby Vision video recording.
Editing without leaving the phone
Filming is only one part of creating social media content. Many creators also edit footage, write captions and upload their work from the same device.
The Duo opens to a 7.6-inch display and includes Split View, which allows two apps to run alongside each other. Users can also save combinations of apps they frequently use together.
Itani said this could be useful when editing.
“A huge part of content creation is editing, so I like the Split View feature where I can open two apps side by side, so I can have my edit app open and my editor notes next to it,” she said.
“It’s so helpful for multitasking and productivity with the way you can open two tabs at the same time and save apps together for later.”
For a creator, this could mean keeping an editing application open alongside notes or a script, or reviewing reference material without repeatedly switching between apps.
For Itani, having those functions on the same device is what interests her.
“The flow is going to be seamless from planning to filming and editing videos, then posting straight to platforms,” she said. “I’m so excited to use this as a content creator for my entire creative workflow.”
More camera control
Creators more interested in photography and filmmaking may instead look at the changes introduced with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.
Apple has introduced a 48MP main camera with variable aperture, giving users more control over depth of field and the amount of light entering the camera.
The feature gives photographers and videographers another level of control when shooting in different lighting conditions, rather than leaving those adjustments entirely to automatic processing.
Isam Al Mahdi, a UAE-based photographer and videographer, said the variable aperture and greater manual control could be useful for creators who already use their phones for professional work.
Smartphones are often used alongside professional cameras for behind-the-scenes footage, short social media clips or situations where carrying and setting up additional equipment is impractical. Greater manual control could give photographers more options when using a phone in those circumstances.
Do creators actually need to upgrade?
Whether those features justify buying a new device is a separate question.
Smartphone creators already have access to capable cameras and a wide range of third-party filming and editing applications. For many, the decision may therefore depend less on individual specifications and more on whether a new feature addresses a problem they regularly encounter.
That is particularly relevant for creators whose work is primarily published on Instagram, TikTok and other social platforms, where convenience and speed can be as important as camera specifications.
Alexandra Thomas, a UAE-based content creator and influencer, said the camera quality was one of the first things that caught her attention.
“The camera looks so clear, and I also really like the Duo Preview feature because I can actually see how I look and how the shot is framed while someone is filming me,” she said.
For Thomas, who regularly creates content for social media, being able to see the shot while recording could be useful when filming Reels and other short-form videos.
“I think that’s something I would actually use a lot for Reels. Sometimes you film something and only realise afterwards that the framing wasn’t right, so being able to see yourself while using the main camera would make things much easier,” she said.
She also pointed to Split View, which allows an editing app to remain open alongside notes, references or another application.
“I do a lot from my phone, from filming to editing and posting, so having two apps open at the same time would definitely make the process easier,” Thomas said.
Asked whether the features would be enough to convince her to upgrade, she said: “I would definitely consider it. For me, it would be less about having a new phone and more about whether these features actually save me time when I’m creating content.”
The iPhone Duo will start at Dh8,499 in the UAE, with pre-orders opening on October 16 before it becomes available on October 23.
For creators, the differences between the new models may ultimately come down to how they use their phones. Those focused on photography and video have additional camera controls on the Pro models, while the Duo offers features centred on self-filming and multitasking.
Whether those changes are significant enough to prompt an upgrade will depend on how much creators use them in their day-to-day work.
Source: Khaleej Times