iFixit teardown points to hinge design as possible cause of iPhone Duo screen cracks
iFixit’s iPhone Duo teardown links hinge design to possible screen cracks and gives it a provisional 5/10 repair score.
The teardown found Apple uses multiple curved guides inside the hinge to create a smooth curve for the display, extending when the phone is folded and retracting when it is open. A center support bar running along the hinge drops to accommodate the fold. Apple also hides the crease with oval pixels aligned in a specific way and a nano-texture coating that blurs the fold point, an effect iFixit showed under a powerful microscope.
To investigate the cracks, iFixit built a 3D model of the hinge from teardown footage, patents and CT scans and compared it with reported damage locations. In one simulation, the center bar did not drop far enough, creating a stress point when the screen's fold came down on it, according to Engadget.
iFixit also found that fine particles can enter the hinge mechanism despite the iPhone Duo's IP68 dust-resistance rating, as can happen on other folding phones. The particles can make the hinge crunch and damage the screen, producing the familiar green-line pattern across the display. iFixit said the internal mechanism is dust resistant, but the hinge mechanism apparently is not, suggesting users may want to avoid taking the Duo to the beach.
Other components were more solid and easier to repair. iFixit removed the outer screen and batteries and said smaller components were fairly accessible. The inner display and hinge accounted for the largest deduction. iFixit noted that 'many are opting for AppleCare+ coverage for this reason' and that 'the early reports of screen failures make clear that display replacement is more than a distant possibility.' It gave the iPhone Duo a provisional repair score of 5/10, pending the availability of replacement parts.
Editor's Summary
iFixit's iPhone Duo teardown points to hinge design and particle ingress as possible causes of screen cracks. It also finds the folding phone relatively repairable in some areas but difficult around the inner display and hinge, yielding a provisional 5/10 score.