Apple iPhone Duo: Interchangeable “cover layer”, new designs and Walkman app
In a recent interview with content creator Angelica Siciliani Fendi, Apple’s Vice President of Hardware Engineering, Kate Bergeron, revealed that the nanotexture cover layer on the iPhone Duo‘s inner display can be removed and replaced. “It’s actually replaceable, which is really great for the customer because you can just peel that layer off and get a new one,” Bergeron said.
In the US, customers who purchase AppleCare+ for the iPhone Duo can have the cover replaced for $19, according to Apple’s website. The cost for replacing the cover without AppleCare+ has not yet been announced.
The protective layer helps to conceal the crease in the center of the foldable inner display. According to Bergeron, Apple has invested “extensive engineering effort” to ensure the durability of this layer. However, customers have the option to replace it if it wears down or the crease becomes more noticeable over time.
Officially, replacing the protective film on the iPhone Duo will likely be limited to Apple Stores and authorized Apple Service Providers. Whether customers will be able to remove the film themselves without difficulty remains to be seen.
Apple iPhone Duo with five previously unknown standby designs
We’ve already gotten our first glimpses of iOS 27 on the iPhone Duo, including a new standby mode that activates even when the iPhone isn’t charging. Apple introduced this mode in press materials, but leaker pdfu published more detailed information about some of its options today.
Several standby watch faces are available for the first foldable phone from Cupertino, five of which were previously unknown.
The “Home Camera” view displays either the image from a single camera or a grid view with up to nine camera images. There is an option called “Modular Home Network,” which likely displays smart home controls and a Snoopy-themed design.
A face editor allows users to customize the standby mode interface and select different styles and colors, similar to the existing customization screens for iPhone standby mode. Swipe gestures are available for quick visual adjustments.
For watch faces that support widgets, there are five widget layouts to choose from: Standby, Stacked, Top, Middle and Bottom.
Virtual Walkman app
Furthermore, an independent developer has created an app that transforms the iPhone Duo into a virtual Sony Walkman. In fact, the foldable design is perfectly suited to replicating the flip of a Walkman.
Developer Vidit Bhargava calls his app “Duo-Man,” which was developed in BitRig’s new development environment for the iPhone Duo. With Bhargava’s app, users can open the device, select their music, and “insert” a cassette onto the 7.6-inch internal display. They can then close the device and start playback—just like in the 80s.
Bhargava explained to TechCrunch that he wanted to create an authentic user experience, so he even went so far as to record keystrokes and noise from a real Walkman to use in the app.
Duo-Man took second place at the recent Bitrig hackathon in San Francisco, and his post about the app on X (Twitter) has garnered more than 2.1 million views.
No release date has yet been announced for the app. Pre-orders for the iPhone Duo, however, begin on Friday, October 16th at 5:00 AM Pacific Time, and the device will be available in stores on Friday, October 23rd. Further details are expected to be released prior to the launch date.
