Apple iPhone Duo: Foldable display has an unusually soft fold
The new iPhone Duo from Apple will officially be launched on Friday this week, but the first preliminary tests have already been carried out. These show that the area above the hinge of the foldable display is soft. With light pressure, temporary wrinkles can also appear.
Soft fold on the new folding iPhone
Shortly before the start of sales of the iPhone Duo next Friday (pre-orders have been possible since last week), the first reports on the foldable Apple screen appear. A video shared on Chinese social media now shows that the area directly above the hinge reacts strongly to light pressure. While the crease remains almost invisible when untouched thanks to a matt coating, the surface gives way slightly when touched. As Weibo user Kang writes and shows in a video (via Ice Universe), the middle of the screen feels noticeably softer than the rest of the display area.
If you press the area with your finger, temporary wrinkles appear. As soon as the pressure is released, the material returns to a flat shape. Since the behavior occurred on several previous devices, it is apparently a conscious design decision. In contrast to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, which uses a more rigid, ultra-thin glass, Apple is apparently taking a different approach with the iPhone Duo. Glass with variable thickness should be used. The area above the hinge would be thinner and more flexible, while the sides would be thicker for more stability. However, Apple has not officially confirmed this yet.
Expensive repair and everyday use
In addition, Apple is said to use a softer upper protective layer. The repair costs for the inner display without the AppleCare Plus protection program amount to 1,149 euros. It remains to be seen how the soft construction of the iPhone Duo will perform in everyday life.
It is currently unclear whether the area is more susceptible to scratches or how the display reacts to very cold temperatures. Foldable screens generally have a shortened lifespan in extreme cold. Whether permanent grooves will form over time will only become apparent through buyers’ long-term experience.
