The iPhone Duo solves a huge design flaw that plagues all other foldables

But the iPhone Duo changes the game in a surprising, yet obvious way. Let's start from the beginning.

The big issue with flexible display panels

I still remember the original Galaxy Fold and the huge controversy surrounding its launch — the so-called "Foldgate." When Samsung's first foldable launched back in 2019, strange cases of the inner screen failing started to pile up.

Funnily enough, most of these were caused by fellow reviewers peeling off the plastic sheet over the Galaxy Fold's main display. Many people thought the plastic film was removable, just like a regular screen protector.

Samsung had to update the manual specifically to warn people that the protective layer over the flexible screen was not removable.

This goes to show that the soft, easily scratchable flexible displays on foldable phones needed a screen protector. People expected one. And yet, no foldable phone came with a user-replaceable one — until the iPhone Duo. Now it seems Apple has fixed this in the most obvious way.

The iPhone Duo officially has a replaceable cover layer on the internal display

The iPhone Duo might be the first foldable with a screen protector you can peel off and replace. It's a simple fix for a years-long problem. In an interview with a fellow content creator, Apple VP of Hardware Engineering Kate Bergeron confirmed the cover layer of the iPhone Duo can be removed and replaced.



Apple boasted about the new nano-texture cover on the iPhone Duo display — offering a paper-like feel, battling reflections, and hiding the crease nicely — but they failed to mention that there's another layer on top of it, and that it's replaceable.

The big game-changer is the price!

How much does it cost?

For US customers with AppleCare+ coverage for the iPhone Duo, replacing the cover layer will cost $19, according to Apple’s website. That's cheaper than most third-party screen protectors you can buy for non-folding conventional phones!

Of course, it's not clear how much this service will cost for regular customers without an AppleCare+ subscription, but I bet it's much less than replacing a damaged iPhone Duo screen. After all, the display is one of the most expensive parts inside the iPhone Duo.

All this makes me wonder: why didn't any other foldable manufacturer think of this? Surely, a replaceable screen protector for a foldable phone is one of the best quality-of-life and peace-of-mind improvements ever.

Every foldable needs this

Every foldable manufacturer on the market needs to study and adopt this multi-lamination technology Apple has implemented in the iPhone Duo. Okay, maybe not copy it outright, but come up with something similar.

I have friends and colleagues who have scratched or damaged the screen on more than one foldable over the years. Whether it's a grain of sand caught inside the phone when closed or just tapping a little too hard with long fingernails, these expensive devices have suffered — along with my friends' wallets.

Somehow, Samsung couldn't crack the foldable screen protector in eight long years, while Apple did it on its first try. That might just be the iPhone Duo's best feature! What do you think about the replaceable screen layer on the iPhone Duo? Is it a game changer for foldables or just a nice add-on?