{"id":2977,"date":"2026-10-27T09:35:01","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T09:35:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/2026\/10\/27\/mkbhd-advises-skipping-iphone-duo-crease-tests\/"},"modified":"2026-10-27T09:35:01","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T09:35:01","slug":"mkbhd-advises-skipping-iphone-duo-crease-tests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/2026\/10\/27\/mkbhd-advises-skipping-iphone-duo-crease-tests\/","title":{"rendered":"MKBHD advises skipping iPhone Duo as durability tests reveal growing crease"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- Quick Adsense WordPress Plugin: http:\/\/quickadsense.com\/ -->\n<div class=\"9fece8afa224fd09e54b043d0febfb58\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:10px 0 10px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- NR ATF -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8898941184964366\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"4839033563\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p>Marques Brownlee, known online as MKBHD, spent more than a week evaluating Apple\u2019s first foldable, the iPhone Duo, before concluding that most consumers \u2013 including current iPhone owners \u2013 should pass on the $1,999 device. In a video cited by Dexerto, Brownlee described the phone as \u201cvery polished around the edges, but kind of rough in the middle,\u201d pointing to a combination of physical bulk, software limitations and camera compromises that he believes outweigh the phone\u2019s premium build quality.<\/p>\n<h2>MKBHD\u2019s Assessment of the iPhone Duo<\/h2>\n<p>Brownlee highlighted four primary drawbacks. First, the Duo\u2019s weight of 254\u202fgrams makes it noticeably heavier than competitors; the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold\u202f8, for example, is about 20\u202f% lighter and thinner, according to Trending Topics. The extra mass, he said, hampers one\u2011handed use. Second, Apple replaced Face\u202fID with a side\u2011button Touch\u202fID that introduces a built\u2011in delay that cannot be disabled, adding friction to everyday unlocking.<\/p>\n<p>Third, the Duo\u2019s camera system lacks features that many video creators consider essential. While it carries two 48\u202fMP rear sensors, it omits a dedicated telephoto lens, ProRes recording and Log profiles, putting it behind the $1,299 iPhone\u202f18\u202fPro\u202fMax on professional video capabilities. The under\u2011display selfie camera also received a negative rating from Brownlee, who called it \u201csimply bad.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The fourth and most heavily weighted concern is software. Many apps continue to run in stretched iPhone layouts on the 7.6\u2011inch inner display, resulting in wasted screen real estate. Brownlee expects major apps to adapt within roughly six months, but until then the experience feels sub\u2011optimal.<\/p>\n<p>Despite these criticisms, Brownlee praised several aspects that Apple controls end\u2011to\u2011end. The titanium frame, the hinge mechanism and the smooth animations between screens earned his approval. He noted that the hinge\u2019s variable resistance allows the phone to hold a half\u2011open position more steadily than any other foldable he has tested, making the device a viable option for users who specifically want a tablet\u2011sized screen in their pocket.<\/p>\n<h2>Durability Tests: Tim\u202fPan and HTX Studio Findings<\/h2>\n<p>Chinese creator Tim\u202fPan, the face behind the MediaStorm channel, conducted an extensive mechanical test that complements Brownlee\u2019s qualitative review. Pan placed a brand\u2011new iPhone Duo beside a unit that had already been folded about 500 times by hand, noting that even that modest usage made the crease more visible. He then subjected a single Duo to 10,000 automated folds at room temperature, followed by an additional 1,000 folds in a \u201320\u202f\u00b0C freezer.<\/p>\n<p>After the full sequence, Pan reported that the hinge continued to open smoothly and described the overall structure as \u201cvery strong.\u201d However, the central crease on the inner display deepened enough to be noticeable to both the eye and fingertip, according to Android Authority. Pan did not publish a quantitative depth measurement; his observation is based on visual comparison of a single device.<\/p>\n<p>Pan also identified practical issues that could affect everyday use. The near\u2011field communication (NFC) antenna resides on only one half of the device, making contactless payments awkward when the phone is open. The inner display lacks an earpiece, so taking a call while the device is unfolded forces the audio to speakerphone. Under heavy load with the screen open, the phone\u2019s surface temperature rose about 2\u202f\u00b0C (3.6\u202f\u00b0F), especially on the side housing the processor. Finally, opening or closing the hinge slowly can momentarily confuse orientation sensors, causing brief flips or blank screens.<\/p>\n<p>Independent laboratory data from HTX Studio provides the only measured crease depth for the iPhone Duo. Scanning a fresh unit showed a peak\u2011to\u2011valley crease depth of 48\u202fmicrons. After 3,000 machine folds and a period of being kept closed, the depth increased to 167\u202fmicrons. Memeburn calculated that this represents roughly a 3.5\u2011fold increase and equated the 3,000\u2011fold test to about two months of typical use at a rate of 50 folds per day.<\/p>\n<p>Memeburn further translated fold counts into ownership timelines: at 25 folds per day, the 3,000\u2011fold test would span roughly four months; at 100 folds per day, it would represent just over three months. By contrast, Tim\u202fPan\u2019s full 11,000\u2011fold regimen would correspond to a little over seven months at 50 folds daily, suggesting that a first\u2011owner could encounter a visibly deeper crease within the first year rather than after three years.<\/p>\n<h2>Apple\u2019s Response and Consumer Guidance<\/h2>\n<p>Apple does not publish an official fold\u2011cycle rating for the iPhone Duo, unlike Samsung, which rates the Galaxy\u202fZ\u202fFold\u202f8 at 500,000 folds according to MacRumors. Instead, Apple offers a hardware remedy for a deepening crease: a removable nano\u2011texture cover layer. Kate Bergeron, Apple\u2019s vice president of hardware engineering, said owners can replace this layer if the crease becomes more apparent. The replacement costs $49, or $19 when purchased with AppleCare+.<\/p>\n<p>For more extensive damage, a full inner\u2011display replacement is priced at $999, reduced to $99 with AppleCare+. Notebookcheck notes that the $49 (or $19) layer replacement may only buy time, because it is unclear whether a new layer fully restores the original flatness when the crease has already affected the underlying panel.<\/p>\n<p>Given the durability data and the cost of potential repairs, Memeburn advises buyers to treat AppleCare+ as part of the overall purchase price and to anticipate at least one cover\u2011layer swap within the first year. The advice aligns with the observation that the hinge itself remains robust even after tens of thousands of folds, while the flexible display panel shows measurable wear.<\/p>\n<p>The iPhone Duo\u2019s preorder window slipped to late January, prompting potential buyers to decide whether to keep their orders or cancel. Memeburn\u2019s guidance suggests retaining the order only for those who prioritize a pocket\u2011sized tablet experience and are comfortable with the current software ecosystem and the possibility of a visible crease. Others, especially those sensitive to weight, camera features or price, may find better value in competing foldables from Samsung, Google or HONOR.<\/p>\n<p>In summary, MKBHD\u2019s qualitative review and Tim\u202fPan\u2019s mechanical testing converge on a single point: Apple\u2019s execution of the hinge and chassis is strong, but the flexible inner panel exhibits early signs of wear. Consumers weighing a $1,999 investment must balance the novelty of a tablet\u2011sized iPhone against the practical limitations of weight, camera capabilities, software optimization and the prospect of a deepening crease that Apple addresses only through a paid cover\u2011layer replacement.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tech reviewer MKBHD says most buyers should avoid the $1,999 iPhone Duo, while independent tests show the hinge holds up but the central crease deepens after thousands of folds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2978,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[299],"tags":[1570,3332,1423,2154,3331],"class_list":["post-2977","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-apple","tag-device-durability","tag-foldable-phones","tag-iphone-duo","tag-mkbhd","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2977","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2977"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2977\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2978"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2977"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2977"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2977"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}