Apple's new foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, failed to pass the latest harsh durability test conducted by tech content creator Zack Nelson (JerryRigEverything), affected by issues in the hinge and the durability of the internal screen, despite the device officially receiving an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
Failure Details and Test Results
The video published by the content creator showed that dust managed to enter the device's hinge through several different entry points, leading to the weakening of the magnets responsible for keeping the phone tightly closed. Subsequently, the bend test caused a permanent green line to appear across the internal screen, before the screen lost responsiveness completely and stopped working.
Regarding scratch resistance, the external screen equipped with the protective layer (Ceramic Shield 2) recorded a hardness at level 7 on the Mohs scale, while the internal screen's hardness reached only level 2. However, the textured coating or nano-structured coating of the internal screen received temporary praise for its ability to make minor marks disappear, but that was not enough for the device to succeed in the comprehensive test.
Why Does This News Matter?
This negative test comes at a very sensitive time for Apple, coinciding with the launch of the iPhone Duo amidst previously reported supply chain constraints and stores facing inventory pressures. This test is considered the first harsh test faced by Apple's first foldable device, putting it under the microscope compared to competitors in the foldable smartphone market who have accumulated years of experience in improving hinge durability.
During his evaluation, Nelson noted that he has been testing these foldable phones since the first generation seven years ago, emphasizing that most competing phones succeeded in surviving, while the iPhone Duo did not withstand the harsh testing conditions.