Apple’s first foldable has had a bumpy start, with reports of cracked inner screens and an ‘audible crack’ from some units. Now iFixit has taken one apart, and its findings point at the hinge.
Let’s start with the good news. iFixit gave the iPhone Duo a provisional repairability score of 5 out of 10. That doesn’t sound amazing, but it’s the best score the site has given any foldable. The Galaxy Z Fold8 and Pixel 11 Pro Fold both scored 4.
Several design choices helped. A repair manual was available on day one. The outer display comes off easily and is described as robust. And the Duo uses the battery adhesive Apple introduced with the iPhone 16, which releases with a small electrical charge. iFixit called it the best battery removal experience it has had on a foldable. The site also summed it up memorably: the most repairable foldable it has seen, and still ‘a bear to repair’.
Now the screens. iFixit built a 3D model of the hinge from teardown footage, patents and CT scans, and compared it with where reported damage appears. The breaks cluster near the point where the gap for a crossing flex cable meets the central hinge support, where several edges meet and change how the thin display is supported as it bends.
iFixit has a second theory as well: the hinge’s curved rails may be lifting above its flat plates as the phone closes, and one rail lines up with the damage. It’s possible a part meant to retract isn’t doing so. iFixit is clear there’s no definitive answer yet, and notes a wiring problem can look the same as a physically broken screen. Apple did not immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.
Dust was another test. Despite the Duo’s IP68 rating, fluorescent dust reached the USB-C port, speaker mesh and the hinge, making it crunchy. Still, less dust got into the hinge than on the Z Fold8 or Pixel 11 Pro Fold.
One more neat detail: the inner screen’s nano-texture cover layer is designed to be peeled off and replaced cheaply, at $19 with AppleCare+ or $49 without, according to MacRumors.
Why it matters
Foldables are still a young category, and first-generation hardware often reveals weak spots once millions of people use it. If you’re buying a foldable for work, a strong warranty plan matters more than usual. It’s also encouraging that repairability is improving, which helps phones last longer and cuts electronic waste.
Sources: MacRumors, The Verge. Written by the xRapid Media LLP team.
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