Last month, Apple introduced its first foldable device to the market, the iPhone Duo. The company managed to launch the device with a completely invisible crease, which received a lot of praise online.
But an early testing video of the iPhone Duo reveals a different reason behind this crease’s invisibility.
iPhone Duo: Hands-on video of a soft display around the crease surfaced online
A user named Kang on Weibo shared a video (via @UniverseIce on X) that revealed that while the unfolded inner screen looks smooth and seamless at a glance, pressing down on the iPhone Duo’s display right above the hinge feels soft. When pushed with a finger, the screen near the hinge area depresses slightly.
Kang revealed that he consulted with some professionals and discussed this information. As per professionals, this structure increases cushioning, allowing for the release of shrinkage stress in low- and high-temperature environments. This only occurs above the hinge, so it doesn’t significantly affect usability.
But the downside is that it tests the lifespan of the surface polymer bonding layer; if the hardness is insufficient, it’s prone to leaving marks. Kang also claims that this behaviour is common across multiple units.
It is assumed that this hardware situation could be related to Apple’s rumoured variable-thickness ultra-thin glass (UTG), with a thinner central folding region and thicker surrounding areas. And if this is the reason, then Apple may have adopted a radically different approach to managing stress around the fold.
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