Apple Says iPhone Duo's Folding Display Has a Replaceable Cover Layer [Video]

Apple has revealed that the cover layer on iPhone Duo's folding display can be replaced if it wears over time, potentially restoring the inner screen's appearance when the crease becomes more noticeable.

Asked whether the display's matte finish was purely a design choice or also helped durability, Apple VP of Hardware Engineering Kate Bergeron said it was both. The finish helps minimize the appearance of the crease, she explained in an interview with Angie Tutorials. Apple also engineered the cover layer above it to last as long as possible.

"It's actually replaceable," Bergeron said, explaining that the layer can be peeled off and renewed. A fresh layer would not remove the physical fold beneath it, but it could help make the crease less conspicuous again. Bergeron did not show a before-and-after comparison.

Apple described the inner screen's nano-textured polymer cover layer when it introduced iPhone Duo, but did not say at the time that it could be replaced.

Apple's repair estimator lists a $19 cover-layer replacement with AppleCare in the United States. The price without coverage has not been disclosed, and Apple has not said whether customers can replace the layer themselves.