Early durability tests suggest Apple’s first foldable iPhone can withstand thousands of folds and extreme cold, but its inner display develops a more visible crease with use.
Apple’s first foldable iPhone is drawing fresh scrutiny just days before its wider release, after durability tests suggested the handset can survive heavy use but not without visible wear. A review of the iPhone Duo posted online found that the flexible inner display developed a more pronounced crease after 10,000 repeated folds, even though the hinge itself continued to operate smoothly. The finding adds a practical caveat to Apple’s pitch for a device built to bring foldables into the mainstream.
The test, carried out by tech reviewer Tim Pan, began with 500 manual folds before moving to 10,000 machine-assisted cycles at room temperature. Pan also ran 1,000 automated folds in a freezing environment at around -20C, where the panel showed no dead pixels, cracking or other obvious failure. That makes the display appear resilient in extreme conditions, but not immune to cosmetic change. According to the video, the crease became more visible as the folding continued, and the device’s glare-reducing surface treatment could no longer conceal it fully when the screen was off.
That result broadly matches other recent assessments. MacRumors reported on a separate hinge test in which Joanna Stern folded the iPhone Duo 32,000 times using a custom rig, finding that the mechanism remained as smooth as it had at the start. Other reports, including coverage from The Verge and Notebookcheck, said the crease became more noticeable after 10,000 folds, while the foldable’s functionality remained intact. Notebookcheck also noted that peeling back the protective layer revealed bumps and wrinkles beneath the surface, reinforcing the idea that the visible seam is part of the current trade-off in foldable design.
Apple’s own materials have not said outright that the crease has been eliminated. Instead, the company has pointed to engineering intended to reduce its appearance, including a custom nano-texture finish, optically clear adhesives and other display treatments aimed at cutting glare and reflections. In practical terms, that means the iPhone Duo appears to have a durable hinge and a panel that can handle stress, yet still shows the familiar weak point that has long challenged foldable phones. The device is expected to reach customers from 23 October 2026, making early durability tests especially relevant for buyers deciding whether the format is ready for everyday use.
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