Apple reveals iPhone Duo has a 'replaceable' display layer — what it means for you

iPhone Duo hands-on pictures
(Image credit: Tom's Guide / Jeff Parsons)

One of the drawbacks of foldable phones is that the interior display develops a more and more visible crease over time. Apple allegedly delayed the release of the iPhone Duo as the company tried to solve this problem.

Apple's VP of Hardware Engineering, Kate Bergeron, recently revealed one way that the company is combating creasing: replacement layers.

Per an interview with @angietutorials on TikTok, Apple made a replacement cover layer on the folding screen.

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“The matte display coating does a really nice job of, I’ll say, minimizing the crease. But there’s a cover layer on top, and we’ve done a significant amount of engineering work to help that wear in as long a manner as we can, and to make sure that you get the most out of that layer’s performance," Bergeron said.

"It’s actually replaceable, which is a really nice thing for the customer, that you can peel off that layer and get a new one," she continued.

This layer, referred to as the Nano Texture "cover layer," is actually considered a separate part of the display per an AppleCare service cost listing spotted by tech YouTuber Quinn Nelson. This cover layer costs $19 for service, while inner display damage will set you back $99.

I have not seen any reporting or releases from Apple detailing replacement prices for uncovered phones though. If you keep the Duo for a while and the crease starts to bother you, it seems like Apple has a solution.

Let us know if the crease is a concern for you in the comments below and whether an inexpensive to replace cover layer would make a big difference.


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Scott Younker
West Coast Reporter

Scott Younker is the West Coast Reporter at Tom’s Guide. He covers all the lastest tech news. He’s been involved in tech since 2011 at various outlets and is on an ongoing hunt to build the easiest to use home media system. When not writing about the latest devices, you are more than welcome to discuss board games or disc golf with him. He also handles all the Connections coverage on Tom's Guide and has been playing the addictive NYT game since it released.
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