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A $19 replacement could give the iPhone Duo’s display a fresh start.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

The iPhone Duo features a replaceable display cover that will be relatively inexpensive to replace under AppleCare coverage. Unlike regular smartphones, foldable displays feature a protective covering on top of the display.

Over time, this layer can start showing scratches or a visible crease. A replaceable cover layer solves that problem to a certain extent.

The iPhone Duo’s display features a replaceable first line of defense

Foldables from Xiaomi, Samsung and others also feature a cover layer on the folding screen. However, replacement options vary by manufacturer. Samsung, for example, offers screen-protector replacement through eligible service locations.

Apple will also offer a replacement option with the iPhone Duo. Kate Bergeron, the company’s VP of hardware engineering, told TikToker @angietutorials, that the Duo’s display cover layer is actually replaceable. 

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

This means that over time, when the cover layer shows signs of wear and the crease becomes more visible, you can replace it.

The catch behind that $19 cover replacement

With AppleCare+ coverage, the replacement cover layer only costs $19 (via @SnazzyLabs). However, the replacement cover layer pricing without the coverage remains unclear. 

The cover layer does more than protect the inner screen. As Bergeron mentions, the matte coating also helps minimize the appearance of a crease where the screen folds — a problem that has vexed folding phones from the start.

An easily replaceable cover layer does not mean that it will wear out quickly, though. If the display layer can be easily removed, we may eventually see some third-party alternatives appear as well.

If you plan to keep the iPhone Duo for several years, get AppleCare+ for it. That, plus the replaceable cover layer, should help it last longer.