Apple’s first foldable iPhone is already facing durability questions, and a detailed teardown has identified a possible explanation for cracks appearing along its inner display.
An extensive iPhone Duo teardown combining physical disassembly, patent analysis, and CT scans points to concentrated stress near the hinge, where several structural components meet beneath the folding screen.
The findings follow reports of display failures shortly after the Duo went on sale October 23. Some owners have described bright lines of damaged pixels, including one buyer whose screen reportedly cracked after fewer than 20 openings.
The reports put Apple’s own criticism of earlier foldables in an uncomfortable spotlight. During an interview with TIME, Apple CEO John Ternus described early foldable smartphones from rival manufacturers as feeling “kind of cheap and crappy.”
Why the iPhone Duo’s Screen May Be Cracking
The investigation found that reported damage tends to appear near a transition point between the opening for the display’s flexible cable and the hinge’s central support.
That area is particularly vulnerable because the thin display bends across sections with different underlying support structures.
Another possible problem involves the hinge’s curved rails, which guide the screen as the phone opens and closes.
One rail appears to rise above the surrounding hinge plates during folding, potentially creating pressure near the same locations where cracks have appeared.
However, the teardown stops short of identifying a definitive cause. More testing is needed to determine whether a hinge component is malfunctioning or accumulated stress caused the damage.
Dust Resistance Holds Up, With One Concern
The teardown also examined the Duo’s IP68 dust resistance by covering the exterior with fluorescent particles before opening the device.
Most particles stayed outside the phone’s internal components, but some entered the hinge and produced an audible crunch.
The results were more encouraging than similar tests involving Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8 and Google’s Pixel 11 Pro Fold, both of which allowed more dust into their hinges.
Still, the findings suggest users should be cautious around sand and other fine particles.
A separate durability test also found that dust entering the hinge could interfere with the phone’s closing magnets.
The Most Repairable Foldable iFixit Has Tested
Despite the durability concerns, the iPhone Duo earned a provisional 5 out of 10 repairability score, the highest iFixit has awarded to a foldable smartphone.
The Galaxy Z Fold8 and Pixel 11 Pro Fold each received 4 out of 10.
Several design choices helped the Duo score better:
- Removable outer display: Can be detached intact during repairs.
- Easier battery replacement: Uses electrically released adhesive, making the batteries easier to remove.
- Launch-day repair documentation: Apple’s repair manual was available when the phone reached stores.
- Replaceable inner-screen cover: The nano-texture protective layer can be replaced without dismantling the device.
Replacing that protective layer costs $19 with AppleCare+ or $49 without coverage.
However, the inner display and hinge remain considerably harder to repair, limiting how much easier the Duo is to service than competing foldables.
Inside, Apple also uses an unstacked, single-layer logic board, a design last seen in the iPhone 8 that helps accommodate the Duo’s unusually thin construction.
