The $2,000 iPhone Duo needs repair coverage, or one drop could cost $999

Buying the new iPhone Duo? The extra to plan for is repair coverage. Apple's pricing page lists $999 to replace the large inner screen when the phone is out of warranty. That is half the price of the phone itself, and it is the kind of bill that one bad drop can cause.

What it costs to fix

The Duo is a foldable phone that opens up to a 7.6-inch inner screen, so it has two screens to break. Apple's out-of-warranty prices are steep across the board:

• Inner 7.6-inch screen: $999
• Small outer screen: $379
• Back glass: at least $199
• Battery or rear cameras: $229 each
• Other damage: $1,499

The $1,499 "other damage" fee presumably covers the hinge, bending damage or problems inside the phone. That is more than the base price of a MacBook Air.

What coverage costs

AppleCare+ is $20 a month or $200 a year. AppleCare One is $20 a month for one person or $50 a month for a family. Over two years, that works out to $400 or $480 unless you already have a plan that applies.

If you have an AppleCare One family plan, or an individual plan on an older iPhone you are replacing, the Duo is covered at no added cost. Coverage also lowers repair fees, which range from $19 for cover layer fixes to $99 for other damage. It covers theft and loss too, with a $149 fee.

Can a case be enough

A case helps, but only up to a point. Many cases, including Apple's, have a raised edge around the screens and camera bump. The front display uses Ceramic Shield 2 glass, and the back glass is Ceramic Shield too. The frame and hinge cover are titanium.

The weak spot is the inner screen. Because it has to bend, it has no Ceramic Shield protection. A drop while the phone is fully open could do real damage.

What is still unknown

It is not yet clear how tough the hinge is. It is also unclear how well the inner screen's nano-textured surface will resist fingernails, debris and an Apple Pencil. Scratches are a real problem on other foldables, and Apple may not have fully solved that.

What to do

Engadget's view is that coverage is close to a necessity for this phone. Add its cost to the $2,000 price before you decide. If that total feels too high, the review suggests skipping the Duo, since few people could comfortably pay for a second one.