Science & Tech · Gadgets & EVs · 5 hrs ago
iPhone Duo durability test finds hinge and inner-screen weaknesses
Tech reviewer Zack Nelson tested Apple’s first foldable iPhone, the Duo, with dirt, scratch and bend tests.
The phone’s IP68 rating did not prevent grit from getting into the titanium hinge, and debris stopped it from closing fully.
The inner screen’s matte finish hid some scratches, but bending the open phone backward damaged its display; accounts differ on how much the frame flexed, but neither says it snapped.
Nelson’s test was deliberately rough, so it does not show that the Duo will fail in ordinary use.
Still, sand and dirt could pose a problem, and the inner display may be costly to replace, with one account putting the repair at about $1,000.
Owners are advised to protect the phone, especially when it is open or in dusty places.
CNET says its custom machine is testing how many times the Duo can be opened and closed, but no results are given yet.
A durability test by Zack Nelson of JerryRigEverything found that dirt and grit could keep Apple’s iPhone Duo from closing fully.
The test also damaged the inner display when Nelson bent the open phone backward, with reports differing on whether the frame cracked.
The outer Ceramic Shield 2 display showed only faint marks at higher Mohs hardness levels, while the inner screen’s nano-texture finish hid some scratches.
The test video was published after the iPhone Duo went on sale, according to CNET.
The articles warn that the test involved extreme treatment and does not show that the phone will fail in normal daily use.
- Who
- Zack Nelson, a tech reviewer who runs the JerryRigEverything YouTube channel.
- What
- He tested the iPhone Duo’s durability with scratch, dirt and bend tests. The hinge admitted debris, and bending the open phone damaged its inner display.
- When
- The articles were published on 2026-10-24; CNET says the phone had gone on sale the day before.
- Where
- The test was shown in a video on the JerryRigEverything YouTube channel.
- Why
- Not stated
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The iPhone Duo went on sale, with people queuing to buy it, according to CNET.
Gizmochina and CNET published articles about Nelson’s durability test.
Nelson tested the iPhone Duo with scratches, dirt and bending, according to CNET.
- Reviewer
- Zack Nelson
- Test channel
- JerryRigEverything on YouTube
- Hinge result
- Debris entered the titanium hinge and prevented the phone from closing fully
- Inner display
- 7.6-inch screen; bending damage was reported
- Repair estimate
- Around $1,000 to replace the inner display, according to Gizmochina
- Phone price
- $2,000, according to CNET
3 sources
What people are saying
You should probably still get a case and AppleCare, or be prepared to pay a pretty penny for repairs.