iPhone Duo's hinge got tired after 440 thousand floors

The iPhone Duo hinge test, which CNET has been running live for three weeks, passed 451,000 folds. The device still works at this figure. However, the first signs of wear appeared on the hinge.

First wear in iPhone Duo hinge test

The testing team uses a wire to turn on the screen. Initially, the wire was pulled back, and the screen completed the remaining path by opening on its own. But between 12.30 and 01.00 at night, approximately 440,300. The situation has changed in folding. Before the screen had a chance to fully open, the folding machine began to close it again.

The phone was not removed from the folding machine. According to CNET, the device works and maintains other screen positions. Moreover, there are no cracks or other signs of malfunction on the screen. That's why the iPhone Duo hinge test continues for now.

When will the test end?

CNET will continue to fold the phone until it reaches its predetermined failure conditions. These conditions are:

Device loses power

Sensors not detecting the screen correctly

Screen goes dark

Live broadcast takes place every weekday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Pacific time. Therefore, the iPhone Duo hinge test can be watched at these hours.

Samsung screen and ten years of life

The OLED panels on the iPhone Duo come from Samsung Display. Samsung's displays have passed folding tests certified by independent organizations. For example, the screen used in Galaxy Z Fold7 passed the 500,000-fold endurance test. Apple is most likely not using an off-the-shelf Samsung panel. Still, CNET's testing shows that the iPhone Duo's panel is on track to catch up.

Apple's hinge design, along with the screen, will determine its lifespan. Calculated with 100 folds per day, approximately 450,000 folds correspond to a usage period of more than ten years. That's why wear on the hinge became the most monitored detail of the test.

Apple, on the other hand, did not share the results of possible hinge tests it conducted in internal tests. He also did not give an estimate for folding life. CNET's testing will continue until the iPhone Duo completely fails.