The Apple iPhone Duo faces fresh scrutiny as early hands-on video footage reveals a visible display crease above its hinge. Ahead of the official release date, early device access highlights a softer surface design that departs from traditional foldable screens.
Foldable iPhone Ships October 23 with Soft Cover
- Apple’s first foldable iPhone is scheduled to officially start shipping on Friday, October 23.
- Early hands-on video footage shows a distinct display crease above the hinge area that can be felt when a finger passes over it.
- Unlike competitors using harder surfaces like Ultra Thin Glass, Apple employs a softer cover layer designed for relatively inexpensive replacement if scratched.
Early Deliveries Reveal the Foldable Screen Design
While official shipping for the Apple iPhone Duo is slated to begin on Friday, October 23, notebookcheck.net noted that a few customers managed to secure the device days ahead of schedule. The emerging hands-on footage complicates initial impressions from the device’s launch event, where early reports suggested Apple had successfully avoided the prominent creases seen on rival hardware.
The engineering approach behind the iPhone Duo differs notably from established market alternatives. notebookcheck.net detailed how devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 rely on a flexible yet rigid surface built with Ultra Thin Glass. Apple instead utilizes a softer display cover layer. This choice makes the outer layer comparatively affordable to replace if scratching occurs, but it introduces a distinct structural compromise.
BREAKING！A shocking new discovery about the iPhone Duo's foldable display!According to Weibo user Kang, the screen around the iPhone Duo's crease is surprisingly SOFT to the touch. When pressed with a finger, the surface can even develop visible WRINKLES!This is something… pic.twitter.com/iBZSd7gF4t
Folding Screen Crease Remains Physically Perceptible
Footage from the early tests demonstrates that the hinge and display architecture leaves the folding screen exceptionally soft directly above the hinge. When a user runs a finger across this specific zone, the crease is not only plainly visible but also physically perceptible. However, notebookcheck.net observed that when the display remains untouched, the crease stays barely noticeable.
| Device | Surface Approach | Official Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Apple iPhone Duo | Softer, replaceable cover layer | October 23 |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 | Ultra Thin Glass (flexible yet hard surface) | Available now ($1,699 on Amazon) |
Long-term durability questions remain entirely unanswered at this stage. Across the broader foldable smartphone market, central creases typically deepen and become more pronounced with prolonged folding and unfolding cycles.
