Apple's rumored iPhone Duo starts at $1999 for the 256GB model and rises to $3199 for the 2TB version. Yet a "renewable" inner display layer may help buyers justify spending so much on a phone. Apple has addressed one of the biggest problems with folding phones to date, the visible crease, through a surprisingly affordable option.
The crease has been a persistent issue for Android folding phones, often visible when new and becoming more pronounced after repeated folding and unfolding. Apple reportedly invested heavily in a hinge and display design meant to minimize this effect, and early hands-on sessions confirm the crease is barely visible when the device is new. Still, some visible degradation of the inner layer is likely over time. Hardware lead Kate Bergeron acknowledged this, saying the company has worked hard to help it "wear in as long of a manner as we can."
That matters for a device this expensive, since most buyers will likely want to keep it far longer than a typical iPhone. Bergeron also revealed that the inner cover layer is replaceable once the crease becomes more visible. Customers can peel off that layer and get a new one. A replacement costs $19 with AppleCare, and the price without it is $49. For a machine costing $2,000 and up, that is a surprisingly affordable way to make the inner display look new again.
Anyone hoping to justify the price by holding on to the phone for several years may find this renewability the deciding argument. Does it make the device's price more palatable?
Source: 9to5Mac · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing