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| The Apple iPhone Duo apparently couldn't quite solve the "crease problem". |
Apple's first foldable is just days away from shipping, but early hands-on footage suggests the crease problem isn't fully solved — and the display around the hinge may be softer than anyone expected.
The Apple iPhone Duo doesn't officially ship until Friday, October 23, but a few lucky customers have already gotten their hands on the first foldable iPhone. And based on a hands-on video now making the rounds, Apple's approach to the foldable display is raising more questions than answers.
A Different Take on the Foldable Display
Apple has taken a noticeably different path from its competitors. While devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 ($1,699 on Amazon) rely on Samsung's "Ultra Thin Glass" to deliver a flexible yet relatively hard surface, the iPhone Duo uses a softer cover that can be replaced fairly inexpensively if it gets scratched.
That design choice comes with a trade-off. According to the hands-on footage, the foldable screen is particularly soft in the area directly above the hinge. Run a finger across it, and the crease isn't just visible — it can reportedly be felt. When the display isn't being touched, though, the crease is barely noticeable, which is at least some good news for anyone worried about day-to-day aesthetics.
Wrinkles When Pressed? That's New
The story got more interesting when Ice Universe shared details from Weibo user Kang, who claims the screen around the iPhone Duo's crease is "surprisingly SOFT to the touch." Press it with a finger, and the surface can apparently develop visible wrinkles — something Kang says is consistent across multiple units.
You can check out the original post from Ice Universe on X for the full breakdown.
That kind of behavior hasn't really been documented in previous foldable reviews, which makes it worth paying attention to. It also lines up with rumors that Apple may be using a variable-thickness ultra-thin glass (UTG) solution — thinner in the central folding region and thicker around the edges. If that's accurate, Apple could be managing stress around the fold in a fundamentally different way than we've seen so far.
Should You Be Worried About Long-Term Wear?
That's the million-dollar question, and honestly, it's too early to say. On plenty of foldable smartphones, the crease in the middle of the display becomes more pronounced the more the device is folded and unfolded. Whether Apple's softer cover design ages well — or becomes a long-term durability headache — remains to be seen.
It's also worth keeping in mind that launch-event hands-on impressions initially suggested the crease wasn't much of an issue. The new footage paints a slightly different picture, but a few early videos aren't enough to draw firm conclusions. More detailed looks at the iPhone Duo's display crease will almost certainly surface by Friday, when the device officially starts shipping.
The Bottom Line
Apple's first foldable is clearly doing things its own way, and the softer display around the hinge is the most tangible example yet. Whether that's a clever engineering decision or a compromise buyers will notice over time is something only real-world use will reveal. For now, we'd hold off on any hot takes until the iPhone Duo is in more hands — and ideally, a few weeks of folding and unfolding have passed.
Sources: Notebookcheck, Kang (Weibo) via Ice Universe (X)
BREAKING！A shocking new discovery about the iPhone Duo's foldable display! According to Weibo user Kang, the screen around the iPhone Duo's crease is surprisingly SOFT to the touch. When pressed with a finger, the surface can even develop visible WRINKLES! This is something we've never seen mentioned in previous reviews of foldable phones. Even more interesting, Kang claims this behavior is common across multiple units. Could this be related to Apple's rumored variable-thickness ultra-thin glass (UTG), with a thinner central folding region and thicker surrounding areas? If so, Apple may have adopted a radically different approach to managing stress around the fold. The engineering behind this display could be far more interesting than we initially thought. Source: Weibo user @Kang (hands-on testing and video)
— Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) October 20, 2026