Ahead of Apple entering the foldable phone market, many believed the company will develop a foldable screen that has no crease. Following the introduction of their foldable iPhone Duo, the crease has been minimised compared to other foldables on the market - but it is still there. Apple has not denied the existence of the crease either, instead explaining what they have done to reduce it.

In an interview with EFTM, Apple's Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing for iPhone, Kaiann Drance, explained how the nano-texture finish on the inner display was able to reduce the crease:

"The nano-texture display, based on how it reflects light, is able to minimise the appearance of the crease... it's like a perceptually flat matt surface."

Apple is known for its careful wording and PR, including being selective in the words they use to describe their products. So, it came as a surprise to see an Apple VP acknowledge the crease is still there, and that their efforts have helped minimise, not remove it.

She also referred to the inner display as "perceptually flat", where the screen looks flat but is not fully flat in practice.

First Hands-On

In many of the first hands-on videos from Apple Park, the nano-texture finish is doing a lot of work.

At regular viewing angles, there is no visible crease, and the device could easily be mistaken for an iPad mini (just without the thick bezels).

In fact, very few show any sign of a crease, with slight visibility at certain angles, though it was still extremely reduced.

Everyday Use

The product doesn't release until October, so we still have a while yet before we can see how regular use affects the screens crease.

It is common in other foldable products that the crease becomes more visible over time, as the user regularly folds the display. Most foldables ship in the box open, but in practice your iPhone Duo will spend most of its time closed. This could increase the crease visibility.

However, based on initial impressions, the crease could stay very minimal when compared to competitors over a similar period.

Apple Pencil Compatibility

Apple is already showing confidence in the durability of their new folding display by announcing that the Apple Pencil (USB-C) will be compatible with iPhone Duo.

The Apple Pencil tip is made of a hard plastic material, that you might expect would scratch the softer inner display.

This could be a good sign of what's to come, with the durability of this new iPhone model.

Final Thoughts

Initial impressions show an almost-creaseless design, though Apple has not announced the first 'creaseless foldable'.

This could indicate it may become more visible over time, as seen in other foldable phones on the market. But, a nano-texture display that reduces glare, and Apple Pencil support coming later this year, could help iPhone Duo stand out among it's competitors on the market.