The iPhone Duo has become the most talked-about device in tech, and iFixit has already published a full teardown of Apple’s first foldable. The results are encouraging from a repair standpoint, but they also shine a light on a hinge system that may prove problematic for early buyers.
iFixit gave the iPhone Duo a 5/10 repairability score, which is unusually strong for a folding smartphone. By comparison, Samsung’s Z Fold8 received 4/10, while the previous generation earned 3/10. While the score still reflects a complicated device, it suggests that Apple has made servicing certain parts less daunting than many rivals.
The teardown team found that several components can be removed without completely dismantling the phone. The cover display, for example, can be taken out with a suction cup clamp and a pry tool, a step shown around 4:20 in the video.
Power is supplied by dual batteries, and Apple appears to have made replacement easier through an anodic delamination method. By connecting a low-voltage source such as a 9-volt battery to silver tabs on the cells, the batteries can be released from the frame. That portion of the video appears around 5:50.
Battery release method inside the iPhone Duo (source: iFixit)
iFixit also took a closer look at the foldable OLED panel, including the matte nano-texture cover layer seen around 3:00. Instead of simply reducing glare, the surface uses light-scattering behavior to make the crease less obvious. The screen protector includes microscopic bumps that break up reflections, while the display’s RGB sub-pixels are arranged at different angles to help hide the fold.
Nano-texture versus clear surface on the iPhone Duo display (source: iFixit)
The concern is the hinge. The teardown reveals a highly complex mechanism, and some early devices have reportedly locked or become stiff during use. Users described unusual resistance while opening the phone, sometimes followed by a popping or cracking sound and permanent screen damage.
The iPhone Duo hinge mechanism (source: iFixit)
One possible explanation is that internal hinge components are not moving into place smoothly and can become stuck. Another suspect is the accordion-like flex cable that passes through the hinge, which may add to the issue.
iPhone Duo pricing
| 256GB 12GB RAM | £ 1,999.00 | € 2,299.00 |
| 512GB 12GB RAM | £ 2,199.00 | € 2,549.00 |
| Show all prices |
