{"id":628784,"date":"2026-09-18T18:12:19","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T18:12:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/628784\/"},"modified":"2026-09-18T18:12:19","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T18:12:19","slug":"i-spoke-to-apples-new-vp-of-hardware-engineering-about-why-hes-especially-proud-of-the-iphone-duos-hinge-durability-and-the-reliability-of-ceramic-shield-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/628784\/","title":{"rendered":"I spoke to Apple\u2019s new VP of Hardware Engineering about why he’s \u2018especially proud\u2019 of the iPhone Duo\u2019s hinge durability and the reliability of Ceramic Shield 2: \u2018When I see someone put a screen protector on their iPhone, it makes my skin crawl\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the midst of hype for Apple<\/a>\u2019s new A20 Pro chipset and slick foldable software, the company\u2019s durability department is quietly having a moment.<\/p>\n

Its Ceramic Shield 2 display glass \u2014 first introduced on the iPhone 17 line and returning this year on the iPhone 18 Pro<\/a> \u2014 is earning plaudits<\/a> for delivering on the promise of 3x better scratch resistance 12 months on from its release, while the iPhone Duo is set to arrive next month with a host of impressive on-paper durability credentials (including, notably, a Galaxy Z Fold 8<\/a>-beating IP68 resistance rating).<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

But while features like ingress protection and corrosion resistance aren\u2019t the sexiest topics of discussion at Apple Park, they are some of the most important for ensuring Apple\u2019s products stand the test of time \u2014 and Tom Marieb, the company\u2019s new Vice President of Hardware Engineering (a role formerly occupied by CEO John Ternus), knows that better than most.<\/p>\n

Latest Videos FromTechRadar<\/p>\n

I had the chance to quiz Marieb on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo in a group interview at Apple\u2019s London HQ, and he lifted the lid on how Ceramic Shield 2 \u2014 which we described as \u201cthe first iPhone glass we fully trust\u201d<\/a> earlier this year \u2014 managed to deliver such a noticeable jump in quality versus the original Ceramic Shield, and why he\u2019s \u201cespecially proud\u201d of the iPhone Duo\u2019s hinge durability.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Apple\n<\/p>\n

Both the iPhone 18 Pro (above) and iPhone Duo feature Ceramic Shield 2 on their respective front displays (Image credit: Future\/Jacob Krol)<\/p>\n

\u201cPersonally, 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,\u201d Marieb told me. \u201cSo we very much wanted to develop new coatings that could withstand [scratches], but also make sure that these coatings were wear-resistant as well. We worry about scratching, which is obviously very dependent on having [material that can withstand] very sharp things going into the screen. But we also worry about wear over time; as people use the screen, whether they\u2019ll wear away that surface. And it turns out that those things are a little counterindicated in a lot of materials.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we had to try to optimize both of those [qualities] simultaneously […] And I think 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\u2019s the long life we\u2019re looking for against both of those loads over time.\u201d<\/p>\n

We try to say, \u2018How are customers actually using this? What exactly are they exposing it to in the real world?\u2019 And we make tests that mimic those things.<\/p>\n

Tom Marieb, VP of Hardware Engineering, Apple<\/p>\n

Marieb added that, in testing Ceramic Shield 2, Apple accounted for half a decade\u2019s worth of use in a comparatively minuscule testing period: \u201cWe very much try to meet the customer where they live, and so we don’t design tests that measure old military specs or old standards; we try to say, \u2018How are customers actually using this? What exactly are they exposing it to in the real world?\u2019 And we make tests that mimic those things.<\/p>\n

Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd as you said, people waiting a year or two to actually see the benefits of [Ceramic Shield 2] means we’ve correctly predicted how people would use it. We accelerate time to try to compress those things into the engineering cycle, so that we can feed back as we try one thing after another, and can represent five years of life \u2014 or even more \u2014 within a couple of weeks of testing.\u201d<\/p>\n

It all hinges on the hinge<\/p>\n

\n

\"The\n<\/p>\n

The iPhone Duo in \u2018Seated\u2019 mode (Image credit: Getty Images \/ Karl Mondon)<\/p>\n

The display is the most important part of any iPhone, but the foldable iPhone Duo saw Apple tasked with protecting a new, equally crucial component: the hinge.<\/p>\n

Like any foldable, the Duo can be used open or closed, and Apple has also developed dedicated \u2018Seated\u2019 or \u2018Standing\u2019 modes that will see the Duo bent at various angles for extended periods. The former displays visual content on the top half of the screen and viewing controls on the bottom (picture a Game Boy Advance), while the latter turns the Duo into a bedside clock, photo gallery, or weather screen via StandBy.<\/p>\n

What to read next<\/p>\n

Whichever orientation you choose, the Duo remains fixed in place \u2014 but the work to make that happen wasn\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m glad you hit on this, because this is something I’m especially proud of, and it took us a long time [to crack],\u201d Marieb explained. \u201cWhat we worry about with this device is that people see how thin it is and they think it’s fragile. People seem to be worried about the Air, too, but it’s honestly one of the most reliable phones we\u2019ve ever made. And so we thought, \u2018How do we design a hinge that feels very solid when you close it, but also really solid when you open it?\u2019<\/p>\n

\n

\"A\n<\/p>\n

The iPhone Duo in a half-folded orientation (Image credit: Getty Images \/ Benjamin Fanjoy \/ Stringer)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe really worked on the torque profile very heavily, and that means changing a lot of the mechanical properties of the hinge to have it feel solid, like a high-end automobile’s car door, when you shut it. That was design intent, so people would have a feeling like, \u2018Oh, it’s okay. This is well crafted, and it’s safe for me to use and not worry about it.\u2019<\/p>\n

And then, as you said, we have a lot of use cases where the Duo is [in a half-folded state]. And so we also had to think, \u2018Can people interact with this [device] and not have it feel floppy?\u2019 So getting those torque profiles right at both those ends, as well as in the middle \u2014 not having it feel like you’re pulling something open, and not feeling as if it’s floppy \u2014 we spent a lot of time optimizing that. So thank you for noticing, because a lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The dual benefits of nano texture<\/p>\n

\n

\"A\n<\/p>\n

The iPhone Duo features a custom nano-texture display (Image credit: Getty Images \/ Benjamin Fanjoy \/ Stringer)<\/p>\n

On top (literally) of the iPhone Duo\u2019s hinge, Apple has equipped its first foldable phone with a 7.6\u2011inch nano\u2011texture display. This new material isn\u2019t a million miles away from the anti-reflective nano-texture glass that can be added to the best MacBooks<\/a>, though, of course, the Duo version of said glass needs to bend in half.<\/p>\n

Another journalist in my group interview with Marieb noted that foldable creases typically appear minimal out of the box, but become more prominent mere months after being used extensively. In response, the Apple executive was bullish on the longevity of the Duo\u2019s hinge and explained that the nano\u2011texture display should help maintain its obscurity:<\/p>\n

\u201cHold us accountable to that, please. The choice of a matte finish \u2014 apart from it being beautiful \u2014 is part of that equation. When you look at glossy displays, their specularity makes it very easy to pick up topology differences. That\u2019s part of the reason we picked the matte finish \u2014 it\u2019s not only beautiful in terms of preventing glare, but it\u2019s also more forgiving of [hinge] changes over time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Apple, then, is supremely confident in the durability credentials of its first foldable phone \u2014 and we look forward to putting the iPhone Duo through its paces ahead of its official launch on October 23. For our full verdict on Apple’s latest candybar handsets, check out our iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max review<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Today’s best iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo deals<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Google\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow TechRadar on Google News<\/a> and add us as a preferred source<\/a> to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!<\/p>\n

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok<\/a> for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp<\/a> too.<\/p>\n