Engadget Advises iPhone Duo Buyers to Add AppleCare as Repair Costs Reach $1,499

Engadget said the iPhone Duo can be justified as a combination of an iPhone and an iPad mini for people who want to be more productive without a laptop, and that it should also work well as an ereader and a YouTube player. At $2,000, however, buyers may be tempted to skip add-ons they would normally buy with a new phone, including cables, chargers or a case.

The extra that Engadget said buyers should not dodge is AppleCare+ or AppleCare One. According to Apple's service pricing page cited by Engadget, repairing the 5.4-inch outer display costs $379, while repairing the 7.6-inch nano-textured inner display costs $999. That inner-screen repair estimate is more than the price of a new iPhone 17 or an iPad mini with maximum storage, Engadget reported.

Apple's listed repair costs also include at least $199 for the back glass, $229 for battery service and $229 for rear-camera repairs, according to Engadget. The page lists a blanket $1,499 charge for other damage, which Engadget said presumably covers the hinge, bending damage or internal components such as storage and the processor.

AppleCare+ costs $20 per month or $200 annually, while AppleCare One costs $20 per month for individuals or $50 per month for families, Engadget reported. Buyers who already have an AppleCare One family plan, or an individual plan covering an older iPhone they are replacing, would have the new Duo covered at no additional cost; otherwise two years of coverage would cost $400 or $480, according to the report.

With AppleCare, service fees are reduced to between $19 for cover-layer fixes and $99 for other damage, Engadget reported. AppleCare+ also covers theft and loss with a $149 fee, not only accidental damage.

A case may help with drops. Engadget said many cases, including Apple's, add raised edges around the displays and the camera bump, and the front display uses Ceramic Shield 2 glass developed with Corning. The Duo also has Ceramic Shield back glass, a titanium frame and a hinge cover. The inner display, however, has no Ceramic Shield protection because it must bend, leaving it vulnerable if the phone is dropped while open.

Engadget said it remains unknown how durable the hinge is or how well the nano-texture surface will hold up against fingernails, debris and an Apple Pencil, and that scratches are a real threat on other foldables. If the added cost of coverage sounds too high, Engadget said buyers are better off skipping the Duo entirely, since spending another $2,000 on a replacement is unlikely to be realistic for most people.