iPhone Duo Hinge Shows No Wear After 32,000 Folds

Joanna Stern’s unofficial test found no noticeable hinge deterioration after her cased iPhone Duo completed more than 32,000 folds over four nights, though the test does not establish how the phone will hold up over years of use. Stern used a custom machine to repeatedly open and close her review unit. The device opened the phone flat but did not fully close it on each cycle. After the test, a calibrated push-pull gauge showed the hinge needed slightly more force to open. Stern said she could not feel a meaningful difference during everyday use. The results offer an early look at the hinge on Apple’s first foldable smartphone, but they are not an official durability rating. Apple has not published a fold-count test or a lifetime fold estimate for the iPhone Duo, according to the reports. In a separate test, YouTuber Tim Pan reported folding an iPhone Duo 10,000 times at room temperature and another 1,000 times at 4 degrees Fahrenheit. He said the hinge remained smooth and functional, while the display crease became deeper. Pan also reported that hair or sand could potentially enter the hinge at certain angles. The two tests assessed different review units and did not use...