iPhone Duo gains Apple Pencil support in iOS 27.2

Apple has released iOS 27.2, and the update adds Apple Pencil support to the iPhone Duo alongside a new Edge Light feature for video calls. The software update is rolling out on October 26, 2026, according to The Verge.¹

The Apple Pencil support is the headline change for the foldable iPhone. Apple had previously said that the iPhone Duo would gain stylus support later this year, and iOS 27.2 delivers that promised functionality. The update is designed around the Duo’s two displays: a 7.6-inch inner screen and a 5.4-inch outer screen.¹

What iOS 27.2 adds to iPhone Duo

Edge Light is the other iPhone Duo-specific feature highlighted in the report. It uses the phone’s display to illuminate the user’s face during video calls, which should be useful in dim rooms without requiring a separate light. The update also adds dual-camera use in group FaceTime calls, allowing users to show more than one view during a conversation.¹

Apple’s wider iOS 27.2 release includes several changes beyond the foldable phone. Siri AI is expanding to French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish, although Apple says the feature remains in beta and is currently unavailable in the EU on iOS, iPadOS and watchOS.² Siri AI can use onscreen awareness, personal context and system-wide app actions to help with tasks such as drafting messages and editing photos.²

The update also adds user profiles to the Apple TV app on iPhone, changes Apple Podcasts by replacing the Up Next queue with a New Episodes list, and brings dual capture to FaceTime group calls. Apple is also adding support for Google’s SynthID watermark in Photos and Image Playground, according to The Verge.¹

For iPhone Duo owners, the practical impact is straightforward: the foldable now has a more useful stylus workflow, better low-light video-call lighting and additional camera flexibility. The update does not change the phone’s hardware, but it makes better use of the large inner display Apple built the Duo around.

Our opinion

The iOS 27.2 update looks like a meaningful catch-up release for the iPhone Duo rather than a cosmetic patch. Apple Pencil support gives the foldable a clearer productivity use case, while Edge Light and dual-camera FaceTime address the sort of everyday friction that can make an expensive device feel unfinished. The EU restriction on Siri AI is a notable limitation, but it does not affect the two features most directly tied to the Duo. The update makes the hardware more convincing; whether that translates into a better buy will depend on how well Apple’s apps and third-party software take advantage of the foldable screen.

Apple’s iOS 27.2 update is available now. Feature availability can vary by region, language and device, and Apple says some Apple Intelligence features are subject to usage limits.²