iPhone Duo folded 11,500 times: the screen crease gets hard to miss

Two durability tests of the iPhone Duo suggest the hinge will last, but the crease in the middle of the screen will show over time. YouTuber Tim Pan folded the phone 11,500 times and found the crease far more visible than on day one. Digital Trends reported on the results.

What the tests found

Pan checked the screen after 500 folds, then ran 10,000 more on a machine. He finished with 1,000 folds in freezing conditions, at -4°F. Out of the box, the crease is a faint line in the center of the inner screen. It was more noticeable after 500 folds. After 10,000, it was significantly worse, and Apple's matte layer on top could no longer hide it.

Pan said the hinge stayed smooth and kept the same small push-open feel as on day one. He did find that hair and sand can sneak into the hinge at certain angles.

The robot test

On a different channel, Joanna Stern used a robot to fold the phone 32,640 times over four nights while she slept. The hinge held up. A push-pull gauge showed it took slightly more force to open after more than 32,000 folds. Stern said she could not feel a difference in daily use.

What it means in daily life

Stern's test looked at the hinge, not the crease. Together, the two tests point to a sturdy hinge and a crease that keeps growing. How fast depends on how often you fold the phone.

• Ten folds a day reaches 11,500 in about three years.
• A hundred folds a day gets there in under four months.
• Digital Trends estimates 500 folds is about a month or two of use.

What to keep in mind

Both tests are unofficial stress tests. Neither showed the crease or the hinge failing. The crease getting more visible is a matter of when, not if, according to the report. Digital Trends also warns against trying a stunt like this on your own iPhone Duo.

For anyone eyeing a foldable, the practical point is simple. Expect the crease to show over time. The more the phone is folded, the sooner it will.