Apple’s first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, has surpassed 451,000 automated folds on a testing rig while showing initial hinge wear, coinciding with a 38% resale value decline and high repair costs.
Hinge Wear Detected After 451,000 Folds
For three weeks, CNET has subjected the iPhone Duo to continuous testing on its custom Fold-a-Phone rig, running 20,000 cycles per day. At around 390,000 folds, the hinge began losing its initial resistance.
By 440,300 folds, the mechanism shifted enough that the automated actuator wire withdrew before the display reached a fully open position, leaving the device 5 to 10 degrees short of flat.
The device remains operational and maintains other screen angles without blackout, power loss, or sensor failures, according to CNET. Lab Director Matthew Murray said that at 100 folds per day, the 451,000-fold milestone corresponds to more than 12 years of real-world use.
Independent repair website iFixit examined the handset in a detailed teardown published on 25 October. Their analysis revealed that the spots where screen problems were documented aligned with a zone beneath the flexible screen where multiple internal hinge parts intersect.
During its examination, iFixit tested how fine particles could enter the iPhone Duo’s hinge assembly. Automated testing machines run at a human-like pace of 900 to 1,000 folds per hour.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold7 display passed a certified third-party durability test rated at 500,000 folds. Apple has not given the public any official longevity estimates for the iPhone Duo’s folding capability, leaving analysts and reviewers to put forward private estimates spanning 500,000 to 1.5 million folds.
iPhone Duo Buyback Prices Drop and Repair Costs Rise
Data compiled by SellCell shows that the top buyback price for a Mint condition 2TB iPhone Duo retailing for $3,199 dropped 38.4% to $1,971 within two weeks of the October 23 launch.
Additional comparison metrics from the platform outline other variations, including 256GB models dropping from $1,999 down to $1,560 for top buyback in mint condition, $1,315 for good condition, $1,107 for poor condition, and $600 for units with screen defects.
Apple and Foxconn have identified the source of the problems with the failure of the internal displays in the iPhone Duo. Chinese insiders report that the issue was traced back to specific defective materials from one of the two hinge suppliers for the iPhone Duo. It is claimed pic.twitter.com/IuDDr8gtQe
Out-of-warranty inner screen repairs cost $999. Fixing the internal screen within China demands a sum nearly equivalent to fifty percent of the 18,000 yuan ($2,700) base iPhone Duo featuring 256 GB of storage.
An active AppleCare+ subscription limits the accidental damage charge for the interior panel to 628 yuan ($94). Japanese used-phone price comparison data compiled by APPLESAMA from 26 buyback companies showed sealed new 256GB units valued at ¥378,000 against a list price of ¥364,800.
Used tiers ranged down to ¥150,000 for defective units. Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations, countered criticisms by stating that “more than 100,000 apps built specifically for the iPhone Duo are now on the App Store, with thousands being added every day.”
Users have said that split-screen multitasking is limited to landscape mode and certain daily applications are slow to adapt to the 7.6-inch, 4:3 inner display.
Warranty Replacements Face Delays While Substandard Materials Cause Issues
The company offered free device replacements under standard manufacturing warranties without requiring an AppleCare+ plan, though buyers reported service delays due to high demand.
Retail outlets in China quoted repair fees exceeding 10,000 yuan ($1,500) when attribute faults were directed toward user actions.
A Chinese leaker on Weibo known as Kang, whose claims were cited by IT Home and circulated by tipster Ice Universe, reported that issues have “largely been traced” to substandard materials supplied by one of the two companies that make the iPhone Duo hinge.
The mystery behind the iPhone Duo's hinge issues may finally be solved. According to Chinese tech insider Kang, the issue has reportedly been traced to defective materials from one of Apple's two hinge suppliers, rather than a fundamental design flaw. Apple can reportedly… pic.twitter.com/5xHSOoTJF1
Apple’s hinge component supplier, Fine M-Tec, previously denied responsibility for the damage, and Apple has not officially confirmed the leak.
Samsung reported that combined Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra sales in Europe increased by 45% over the Fold 7 during the first nine weeks following the iPhone Duo launch.
Earlier coverage: The iPhone Duo has surpassed 297,000 folds in a long-term durability test conducted by CNET
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