Foldable smartphone tech has evolved to the point that crease lines are no longer a major concern, with OPPO coming the closest to perfecting the crease-free experience, and Apple is offering its own workaround. Ahead of releasing the much-anticipated iPhone Duo, the company confirmed that the inner protective film, or cover layer, on its new device can be separately replaced after it wears down.
Speaking to @angietutorials on TikTok, vice president of hardware engineering Kate Bergeron highlighted the role of the nano-texture surface in reducing crease visibility on the display:
“The matte display coating does a really nice job of, I’ll say, minimising the crease. But there’s a cover layer on top, and we’ve done a significant amount of engineering work to help that wear in as long of a manner as we can, and to make sure that you get the most out of that layer’s performance. It’s actually replaceable, which is a really nice thing for the customer, that you can peel off that layer and get a new one.”
More notably, the replacement service is listed under AppleCare+ coverage as US$19, alongside front display damage (US$29), back glass damage (US$29), inner display damage (US$99), inner display damage (US$99), and theft or loss (US$149). Users are strongly advised not to peel off or remove the film themselves, as they would with typical screen protectors, and out-of-warranty repair costs, as well as local pricing, have yet to be announced.
Unveiled during Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event in September, where the newly minted CEO John Ternus took over the stage, the iPhone Duo sports the new A20 Pro chip that also powers the new iPhone 18 Pro series. Both the 5.4-inch outer and 7.6-inch inner screens are equipped with the company’s Super Retina XDR tech and 3,000 nits of peak outdoor brightness, with other features including a 48MP Fusion main camera and a 48MP Fusion ultra-wide rear setup, Apple Pencil with USB-C support, a custom vapour chamber, and an all-day battery offering 31 hours of video playback on the inner display, up to 44 hours of playback on the outer display, and up to 24 hours when both displays are used equally.
Pre-orders for the iPhone Duo in Singapore open on 16 October, with availability scheduled for 23 October. It starts at S$3,099 for 256GB of storage and can be upgraded to 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB, and will come in two colours: Star White and Night Sky.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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