The key to the success of the iPhone Duo foldable phone could end up being its durability. And one Apple hardware chief is confident enough in its design to suggest adding an unsightly screen protectors is not necessary.
In a new interview, Tom Marieb expressed his confidence in the Ceramic Shield 2 technology that’s on the outer display of the iPhone Duo (as well as the new iPhone 18 Pro and last year’s iPhone 17) that’s three-times stronger than the original edition. “Personally, when I see someone put a screen protector on their iPhone, it makes my skin crawl, because we work so hard to make beautiful front screens,” says Marieb, who has taken over from new CEO John Ternus as Apple’s VP of hardware engineering.
Speaking to TechRadar, he went on to say, “we finally hit on a nice balance between the two [in Ceramic Shield 2]. We could have made it more scratch-resistant, but it would have been a little less wear-resistant. It’s the long life we’re looking for against both of those loads over time.”
It’s a bold statement from Apple, but one I’ve often sympathised with. There’s nothing more disheartening as a new iPhone owner than having to wrap that beautifully crafted device in a case and a screen protector that hides its true form from view.
Marieb – who may be the member of the Apple cabinet with the most direct line to the C-suite given he’s doing his boss’ old job – is equally pleased with the hinge and the lessening of the display crease on the inner display. He says the anti-reflective nano glass with a matte finish should help the create remain in the background even after continued use.
He added: “Hold us accountable to that, please. The choice of a matte finish — apart from it being beautiful — is part of that equation. When you look at glossy displays, their specularity makes it very easy to pick up topology differences. That’s part of the reason we picked the matte finish — it’s not only beautiful in terms of preventing glare, but it’s also more forgiving of [topology] changes over time.”
Apple’s confidence may be reflected in how long the company waited to launch its first foldable phone.
Samsung was initially deemed to have rushed the first Galaxy Fold handset to market in 2019 and paid for it. When reviewers believed a polymer layer on the device was a removable screen protector, they damaged the display. Furthermore the gaps at the top of the bottom of the hinge were a perfect home for dust and grime getting trapped under the panel. The device went off sale for a while with issues largely resolved by the second generation model.
At the time, then-chief DJ Koh admitted Samsung had rushed out the phone. He said: “It was embarrassing. I pushed it through before it was ready. I do admit I missed something on the foldable phone, but we are in the process of recovery.”
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