iFixit Gives iPhone Duo 5/10 Repairability Score, Best Yet for a Foldable
The teardown found the outer screen and several battery cells easy to remove, but replacing the inner screen or hinge remains costly and difficult.
iFixit has published its teardown of Apple's iPhone Duo, awarding the foldable phone a repairability score of 5 out of 10 — the highest score the repair specialists have given a foldable phone to date, according to techradar.com.
The outer screen and several battery cells came out relatively easily during the teardown. iFixit also found that the iPhone Duo's outer trim came away intact, unlike on the Galaxy Z Fold 8.
Dust was not fully shut out. UV-glowing dust reached the hinge mechanism and caused it to start crunching, though less dust got in than on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold or the Galaxy Z Fold 8.
The hardest repairs are the inner screen and the hinge, which iFixit said require a lot of work, time and money. The teardown also noted that Apple disguised the display crease through pixel arrangement and a matte nano-texture finish, and suggested that the crease putting pressure on the hinge's central support bar could explain reports of cracked screens — though iFixit said more investigation is needed.
Background
Apple rated the iPhone Duo at IP68 for dust and water resistance, and the device let in dust during the JerryRigEverything durability test. Some owners have reported cracked screens.
Quick answers
What repairability score did the iPhone Duo get?
iFixit gave it 5 out of 10, its highest score yet for a foldable phone.
Which iPhone Duo repairs are hardest?
Replacing the inner screen or the hinge, which iFixit said requires a lot of work, time and money.