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iPhone Duo survives 440,300 folds in CNET endurance test

CNET's Fold-A-Phone rig has folded an iPhone Duo more than 440,300 times over three weeks. The hinge has loosened, but the phone still passes the outlet's failure criteria.

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Published 2 min read

Illustration of a folding iPhone on a robotic durability testing machine

Key takeaways

  • CNET's Fold-A-Phone rig has put an iPhone Duo through 440,300 folds over three weeks.
  • The hinge loosened and lost its snap at around 390,000 folds, according to CNET's readings.
  • The phone still opens nearly all the way on the rig and fully by hand, though less crisply.
  • CNET's failure criteria, such as power loss or screen blackout, were never met, and testing continues.
In this article
  1. What the test found
  2. When the hinge started to change
  3. What the fold count means in years
  4. Why it matters

What the test found

Illustration: phone, Apple logo, news and the labels Cnet, Foldable Phones, Hinge Durability

CNET has been running an iPhone Duo on its Fold-A-Phone rig, a machine that opens and closes the phone repeatedly, for three weeks. According to AppleInsider, citing CNET, the phone reached 440,300 folds before showing clear signs of wear.

Even at that point, the phone does not meet CNET's definition of failure. The machine can still open it most of the way, and opening it fully by hand remains possible, although the action no longer feels as firm as before.

When the hinge started to change

CNET's measurements and footage showed a shift in the force needed to open the phone at around 390,000 folds. The distinctive snap felt when opening it fully disappeared, and the hinge became looser.

The display still holds at other angles without problems. CNET counts a foldable as failed only if it loses power, its sensors fail to detect the screen position in time, or the screen goes black. None of those happened.

What the fold count means in years

At 100 folds a day, 440,300 folds works out to roughly 12 years of use. That is well beyond the practical lifespan of the iPhone Duo, so most owners are unlikely to reach this level of wear.

CNET plans to keep testing the phone, so further results may follow.

Why it matters

Hinge durability has been a key concern for foldable phones, since the moving parts are the most likely point of failure. A result this far past typical daily use suggests the iPhone Duo's hinge holds up under sustained folding.

The findings are based on one device on one test rig, so they describe this unit's behaviour rather than a guaranteed outcome for every phone.

Sources

  1. After more than 10 years worth of folding, the iPhone Duo still worksApple Insider

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