iPhone Duo durability tests find sturdy hinge but deeper crease; future models may add Face ID

The tests cited by Android Authority included YouTuber Tim Pan’s rig, which ran 10,500 folds plus sub-zero testing, and Joanna Stern’s test, which exceeded 32,000 folds. The hinge stayed sturdy and smooth throughout, according to the report. The same tests found that continuous folding significantly deepened the inner display crease. Android Authority also listed other iPhone Duo quirks: single-sided NFC positioning, no internal earpiece, which forces speakerphone use when the device is open, minor thermal throttling, and UI misfires when it is opened slowly. Apple used a custom nano-texture finish on the inner display to diffuse reflections and minimize the visible groove down the center, but the wear test showed that the crease still becomes more pronounced.

Separately, Engadget reported that Apple is working on under-display Face ID for future iPhone Duo models. Citing Mark Gurman’s Power On podcast, Engadget said iPhone Duo 2 prototypes already have the technology built into the phone’s outer display. The first-generation iPhone Duo returned to Touch ID, which Apple had not used on an iPhone since the 2022 iPhone SE. Engadget reported that Apple likely avoided Face ID because the foldable is designed for multiple orientations, its display is thin, and the company wanted uniformity across the inner and outer screens. Gurman also said an Action button, introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro, may appear on an eventual iPhone Duo 2.

In the same podcast, 9to5Mac reported, Gurman said a third-generation iPhone Duo expected in 2028 would be slightly larger. He described the increase in the inner screen as roughly half an inch, putting it in the “high sevens, very low eights” rather than 8.5 or 9 inches; the current iPhone Duo has a 7.6-inch folding display. Gurman said a Telephoto camera is “on their list” for future models but would be hard to add because of the depth required, which he called a physics issue rather than a cost issue.

The Verge reported that Coolpad is bringing a wide-screen design associated with foldables to a non-folding budget phone. The Coolpad Cool X Wide is available for preorder through JD.com in China for 999 Chinese yuan, or about $150, in black, red, or white, with shipping expected to start Nov. 8. The phone has a 6.38-inch 16:10 display with up to 90Hz refresh rate and 1,158x720 resolution, a MediaTek Helio G99 processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage; higher storage and RAM options push the price to about $180 and $209. It also has a 50-megapixel main camera, a 4,600mAh battery, Android 16 out of the box, and 4G-only connectivity. The Verge said the Cool X Wide is nearly as tall as the iPhone 18 Pro but 3.72 inches wide, compared with 2.83 inches for Apple’s phone.