If there’s one thing you can be sure of following a major tech launch, it’s that tinkerers will pore over every detail. iFixit recently published its teardown analysis of the iPhone Duo, and it’s one heck of a deep dive into Apple’s first foldable phone.
The good news? iFixit gave the Duo a provisional repairability rating of five out of 10. This might seem like a low score, but it’s the highest rating a foldable phone has received from the company pushing consumers’ right to repair.
iFixit praised the Duo’s battery removal process, claiming it was easier than on other foldables. Based on the teardown, the phone’s internals are spread relatively evenly, making it simple to access hardware for repairs. Apple’s outer screen also held up to scrutiny.
Which then leads us to the bad news: Apple’s much-hyped matte inner screen. Early reports show that some iPhone Duos are cracking, with some users encountering broken inner screens and hinges on day one, adding to the pain of limited launch availability.
iFixit’s analysis speculates that the early faulty units could come from a stress point caused by a support bar in the hinge not functioning as intended. Supposedly, this support mechanism should lower when the phone folds. In the case of the broken Duos, it doesn’t lower far enough, potentially causing the damage.
Although iFixit’s theories remain speculation at this point, it’s a solid hypothesis behind what some users have encountered. Fortunately, Apple has immediately replaced Duos that have broken under general use.
It’s not known how widespread the inner screen issues are; the data would be a closely guarded secret. From Apple’s perspective, the silver lining is that the iPhone Duo has the makings of a reasonably repairable phone — once it sorts out the inner screen issue.
The post iPhone Duo tops iFixit repairability rating, but there’s a catch appeared first on GadgetGuy.
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