On Friday, the first foldable smartphone from Apple, the iPhone Duo, appeared in stores. It offers iPhone fans the advantages of a flexible display, but such devices require more careful handling than ordinary phones.
Foldable devices are convenient: when folded they fit in a pocket, and they unfold into a large seamless screen that can serve as a stand or tripod. However, the technology requires extra care. Many buyers who pre-ordered the Duo report that delivery dates are slipping to January, so some orders may be delayed.
Apple has not yet published care recommendations for the Duo and did not respond to a request asking whether it plans to do so. Competitors Samsung and Google, which have been making foldable devices for several years, do provide such advice.
Is a protective film needed? For ordinary smartphones, a film helps protect the glass. With foldables it is more complicated: the Duo, like many other models, has a rigid outer screen and a main flexible inner one. Protective films for the outer screen are already sold on Amazon and in other stores. The main display is different. Samsung and Google apply a protective layer to the inner screen at the factory and warn that it must not be removed or replaced with a third-party film. Google states directly: "Do not apply a third-party protective film." Samsung advises contacting a service center if the layer needs to be replaced.
It appears Apple is doing the same. Vice President of Hardware Engineering Kate Bergeron said in a video interview with an Italian influencer that the Duo will have a replaceable cover layer on the foldable screen: "It can be removed and you can get a new one - that is really convenient for the customer." In confirmation, a tech blogger found that AppleCare's price list for the Duo lists a "cover layer" for 19 dollars. Apple's press service did not confirm these details.
Do not forget a protective case - Apple and third-party manufacturers make them.
Avoid the beach. The most vulnerable part of a foldable phone is the hinge. The opening and closing mechanisms have microscopic gaps where debris gets in. "Do not take it to the beach - it does not like sand," says technical analyst Ben Wood of FDM CCS Insight. Chinese brand Honor warns in online recommendations that the rotating hinge of its foldable phones "has small gaps through which sand and dust can penetrate." According to the company, these particles damage the screen and the mechanism, causing unusual sounds and possible breakdowns. Honor advises not using the phone in windy or dusty weather. If an unusual sound appears when folding, it is better not to open and close the device anymore - sand may have gotten into the mechanism.
Close it carefully. Flexible screens are softer and more elastic than ordinary ones, so they are more easily damaged. Google recommends avoiding contact with crumbs, fingernails and sharp objects. Samsung advises making sure that a card, coin or key does not end up between the screens - they can scratch or puncture the main screen. The edges of foldable phones usually have strong magnets that attract metal objects. Some manufacturers advise not carrying the phone in the same pocket or bag as keys and coins.
A few more tips. Do not bend the phone backwards and do not apply excessive force. Honor (sold everywhere except North America) does not recommend opening and closing the device in severe cold: the screen becomes brittle and cracks more easily. It is also not advisable to leave it closed for a long time - this creates stress on the screen and hinge. And, of course, follow the general rules for cleaning smartphones so the device lasts longer.