iFixit teardown: iPhone Duo scores 5/10, foldable best, crease trick found

Repairability score and display findings

iFixit's teardown of the iPhone Duo produced a 5/10 repairability score, which The Verge reported is the highest the site has given a foldable so far. The score suggests foldables remain difficult to repair even when one leads the category.

The site also examined how Apple may be reducing the visibility of the display crease. The internal screen's matte nano-texture cover, which helps readability in bright sunlight, may also scatter reflections to mask the crease, according to iFixit. Under a microscope, iFixit found oval subpixels arranged at various angles, which it believes are designed to cut artifacts and further hide the crease down the middle.

Repair access and debris

The nano-texture outer layer can be replaced relatively easily without swapping the OLED underneath, but repairing the display itself remains expensive and difficult, as with other foldables, The Verge reported.

Dust entered the USB-C port, speaker grills and hinge, making the device feel crunchy, according to the teardown. iFixit found noticeably less of the glow dust inside the iPhone Duo than in the Z Fold8 or Pixel 11 Pro Fold.

Theories on damaged screens and hinges

For reports of damaged screens and cracking hinges, iFixit offered theories rather than conclusions. The site suspects part of the iPhone Duo's complex hinge sometimes does not descend properly. An accordion cable passes over that spot and sits near the edge of the battery, according to The Verge.