Apple is using artificial intelligence and 3D printing to manufacture a key component of the iPhone Duo, its first foldable smartphone, as the company focuses on improving durability and hinge precision.
Announced Wednesday during Apple’s Surprise and Shine event, the iPhone Duo uses AI algorithms to match each hinge with its best-fit housing. Apple says the process helps achieve more precise alignment during manufacturing.
AI and 3D printing shape the iPhone Duo hinge
Johny Srouji, Apple’s chief hardware officer, said a confocal laser scans each unit’s topology before 3D printing adds up to 25 microscopic layers of custom photopolymer to remove residual waviness.
“During manufacturing, we use AI algorithms to precisely match each individual hinge with its best-fit housing to ensure perfect alignment,” Srouji said.
Durability remains a major challenge across the foldable phone category, where hinges and flexible displays face repeated mechanical stress. Questions about the long-term lifespan of foldable phones remain a major concern as manufacturers refine their designs.
Apple adds more durability protections.
Apple also gave the Duo a custom nano-texture finish designed to reduce glare and reflections, along with a multilayer lamination system intended to strengthen the device.
The company is positioning these manufacturing techniques as protections against the wear associated with foldable devices. Their long-term effectiveness will become clearer once consumers use the iPhone Duo extensively.
