Apple’s iPhone Duo has passed 234,640 opening and closing cycles in a CNET durability test, with no visible damage to its screen so far. The test reached its seventh day as of the report’s publication.
CNET built a machine called the Fold-a-Phone to cycle the device automatically more than 20,000 times a day, testing how its hinge and flexible display hold up. The livestream runs for a few hours on weekdays, but the machine continues operating around the clock, including on weekends.
Apple has not stated how many folding cycles the iPhone Duo is designed to withstand before showing wear or failing. Samsung, by comparison, says the Armor FlexHinge on its Galaxy Z Fold 8 was tested for 200,000 cycles under controlled conditions. CNET’s test repeats the same movement and does not reproduce everyday hazards such as drops, dust or pressure on the screen, so exceeding that figure does not establish how the phone will fare in normal use.
The test is drawing attention amid reports of cracks near the iPhone Duo’s inner hinge area, including one case said to have appeared within hours of purchase. Apple has acknowledged the issue, describing it as affecting a small number of units, and has directed affected customers to AppleCare for replacement. The company has not disclosed how many devices are affected or what is causing the cracks.
After examining the phone, iFixit suggested that an internal support bar might not retract enough when the device folds, creating pressure on the screen. It also raised the possibility that small particles entering the hinge could interfere with its movement and damage the display. Neither explanation has been confirmed as the cause.
Sources: Canaltech.