Apple's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, has undergone an extensive folding test by tech reviewer Tim Pan, who documented the results on his MediaStorm channel. The experiment examined how the phone's hinge and inner display responded to repeated opening and closing, with the results drawing attention to a familiar challenge for foldable smartphones: keeping the display crease under control over time.
iPhone Duo Undergoes 10,000-Fold Durability Test
Pan initially compared a new iPhone Duo with a unit that had been folded 500 times. Even at this early stage, he observed that the crease running down the centre of the inner display had become deeper. The reviewer then used a machine to fold the phone 10,000 times at room temperature, followed by another 1,000 folds at minus 20 degrees Celsius. This brought the total to 11,000 machine-assisted folds, in addition to the initial manual testing.
According to Pan, the hinge remained smooth after the repeated cycles and continued to assist when opening the phone, much as it did when new. However, the crease on the inner display became more pronounced. Pan also raised concerns about small particles entering the hinge at certain angles during use. The findings were also reported by The Verge and LADbible, both of which highlighted the difference between the hinge's performance and the visible change in the display crease.
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iPhone Duo Screen Crease Becomes More Visible
The test suggests that the hinge and display may show different signs of wear. Although the hinge continued to function smoothly, the crease became easier to notice after repeated folding. The change was also visible in comparisons after the initial 500 folds. Apple has focused on reducing crease visibility with the iPhone Duo's inner display design. However, the experiment suggests that this does not prevent the crease from becoming more prominent after extensive use.
The test does not establish how quickly the same change would occur during everyday use. Folding speed, temperature, handling and exposure to dust or debris can vary considerably outside a controlled experiment.
What The iPhone Duo Folding Test Means For Buyers
The results offer some reassurance about the hinge's performance, but they do not prove that every iPhone Duo will withstand the same number of folds without issues. The experiment involved one device and was not presented as an official Apple durability certification. For buyers, the distinction matters: a hinge can continue working normally even as the display's appearance changes. The long term durability of the screen will need to be assessed through broader testing and real world use.
Foldable smartphones have made progress in hinge design and display technology, but the crease remains a visible reminder of the compromises involved in making a screen bend repeatedly. Pan's experiment suggests that the iPhone Duo's hinge can handle substantial repeated use, while its display is not immune to visible wear. For Apple, the bigger test will be whether the phone can maintain that balance over months of everyday use.
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