Apple’s nano-textured display might not hide the crease forever.
Apple’s first foldable phone is coming soon and it caused quite a stir when it was announced earlier this month. This is no surprise, since everyone was waiting to see how the iPhone Duo would fill the competition’s gaps. It’s still early to tell, considering it won’t hit stores until next month and all we’ve had so far are some brief hands-on experiences.
But one of the most anticipated features is the new nano-textured display, which promises to make the screen crease much less noticeable. In fact, it seems to be much less noticeable – but it will be a long time before we know for sure.
The biggest compromise with foldable phones: the fold
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Historically, foldable phones had one unpleasant flaw: the crease. And it all comes down to physics. With current technology, it’s almost impossible to have a flexible screen that bends without leaving creases. Companies have improved a lot in this area and the creases have become less visible although they are still there.
Apple took a smart approach to making the crease less visible. The iPhone Duo’s screen has a matte coating on top, which significantly reduces light reflection. Some people who have seen the iPhone Duo in person say the crease is barely noticeable. Others say the situation is still visible and it is only a matter of time before the situation gets worse.
Our own hands-on report found that the crease is “easier to feel with the finger than to observe with the eyes.” But does that mean Apple has finally solved the crease problem once and for all with the iPhone Duo? Not really.
The biggest issue here is cumulative damage. Take the Galaxy Z Fold 8 for example. Samsung ships its foldable phones unfolded in the box, and when you first look at them, the screen looks super flat. But as you start folding and unfolding it, the crease definitely becomes more visible. Now imagine folding that screen thousands of times over months or years. It’s not difficult to find photos of foldable phones with damaged screens online.
Only time will tell if Apple got it right
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Several Apple executives have publicly stated how proud they are of the iPhone Duo and believe the device will be much more durable than the competition. But we won’t know for sure how the iPhone Duo’s nano-textured screen will perform until the phone reaches a large number of consumers. Not only that, but it will probably be some time before we have any idea of its sustainability. This will definitely be something that many YouTubers put to the test in their extreme sustainability experiments.
So yes, the crease on the iPhone Duo’s screen was barely visible during hands-on sessions at the Apple event. But even the most thorough practical impression is really just a snapshot of a fold that hasn’t yet had time to develop. The reviews coming soon, ours included, can only talk about what the iPhone Duo looks like fresh out of the box. This may be different after a few months of using the device.
Still, you have to give Apple credit here. The fact that the company has created a screen that already makes the crease much less visible in the first few days is certainly promising. It’s also something we should expect to see the competition rushing to catch up to soon.
