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Apple iPhone Duo: the secret of the invisible crease in its foldable screen

With a nearly invisible crease on its very first foldable-screen smartphone, the iPhone Duo, Apple is not hiding its pride. The Californian company even urges its fans to “hold it to account” on the day when this crease would become too visible through repeated use.

On the occasion of an interview with our colleagues at the site TechRadar, Apple’s vice president of engineering, Tom Marieb, spoke about the screen of this brand-new iPhone Duo. The latter stands out in particular for an unprecedented matte finish, contributing greatly to making the central fold, often unattractive, usually seen on this kind of device invisible.

 

The strategic choice of a matte finish

But over time and with repeated use, as on competing devices, will this fold become increasingly visible? “Please do not hesitate to hold us accountable, if you like, Marieb replies on this subject. Choosing a matte finish, beyond its aesthetic appeal, is part of that equation. When looking at glossy screens, their specular character makes it very easy to spot differences in topography. That is one of the reasons we opted for the matte finish: not only does it look good by reducing reflections, but it is also more forgiving of changes at the hinge over time”.

 

A hinge designed like a car door

And he clarified Apple’s desire for a hinge that is both robust and provides a feeling of solidity: “We really worked a lot on the torque profile, which involved modifying a large number of mechanical properties of the hinge so that it gives an impression of solidity, like the door of a premium car when you close it. That was the design intention, that people would feel: “Ah, that’s good. It’s well designed, it’s safe to use and I don’t have to worry about it” ”.

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