Repair company iFixit has examined Apple’s $1,999 iPhone Duo, identifying a possible reason for reported cracked screens and giving the foldable phone a provisional repairability score of 5 out of 10. The teardown found several repair-friendly design choices, including an easily replaceable battery and back panel, although iFixit has not officially confirmed the cause of the cracking.
On Sunday, iFixit published a teardown of the iPhone Duo along with a video showing the phone’s internal components. The analysis offers a closer look at the parts inside the device and what owners might encounter if the phone needs repairs.
A possible cause of cracked screens
The cause of the cracked screen has not been officially verified, but iFixit has proposed a possible explanation involving the hinge. The display cable runs through the center of the hinge, and iFixit’s stress-test simulations indicate that the hinge’s central support bar does not obstruct the display when the phone is folded.
According to iFixit, this arrangement creates a stress point at the center of the screen that could contribute to cracks.
Provisional repairability score
iFixit provisionally rated the iPhone Duo 5 out of 10 for repairability. The score could be revised after the company evaluates how Apple supplies replacement parts.
Although 5 out of 10 may appear modest, it is the highest repairability rating iFixit has awarded to a foldable smartphone.
Repair-friendly design choices
The iPhone Duo received strong marks in several areas. Its battery and back panel can be removed and replaced relatively easily, while the outer trim comes off in one piece. The 5.4-inch front screen is also straightforward to remove.
Most components are secured with brackets and screws rather than permanent adhesives. This allows parts to be disassembled, reassembled, removed and reused.
Foldable phones remain difficult to engineer
“Today’s foldable device landscape is one of the toughest engineering challenges across many disciplines in the market today,” iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens said at an event the day before Apple announced its foldable phone in September. “This is the pinnacle of materials engineering and materials science. It’s ridiculously difficult to achieve.”
Source: www.wired.com