iFixit teardown rates iPhone Duo 5/10, flags complex hinge

GSMArena reports that iFixit's teardown of the iPhone Duo gave the first folding iPhone a 5/10 repairability rating, which the outlet says puts it in a class of its own among foldables. For comparison, GSMArena reported that Samsung's Z Fold8 scored 4/10 and its predecessor scored 3/10.

According to iFixit, as reported by GSMArena, most components are fairly easy to remove without going too deep into the device. The cover screen can be removed with a suction cup clamp and pry tool, and the dual batteries can be released through an anodic delamination process involving a low-voltage power supply such as a 9-volt battery connected to silver tabs on the battery cells.

The teardown also examined the main display's matte nano-texture cover layer, which GSMArena says uses light refraction and microscopic bumps to scatter reflections and help hide the crease, working with altered RGB sub-pixels arranged at varying angles. On the negative side, GSMArena reports that the hinge is highly complicated and appears to be locking itself in on some units; several early users reported unusually stiff hinges requiring more effort to open the display, with an audible popping or cracking sound and permanent display damage. One theory, GSMArena reports, is that hinge components are not descending properly and are getting stuck, while an accordion-like flex cable through the hinge is another possible factor.