Winners and Losers: Buyers of expensive Apple products, which, let’s face it, include almost everyone, often face a dilemma: Should they also fork over the not-insignificant recurring fee for AppleCare? If the person in question buys an iPhone Duo, the answer is definitely yes, especially when the fragile interior screen repair costs $999 and other damages go up to $1,499.
Apple’s first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, launches today. Priced between $1,999 and $3,199, it’s Cupertino’s most expensive phone yet, but buying a phone without AppleCare could prove even more expensive.
Apple has listed some of the estimated repair costs for the iPhone Duo on its repair services page. Repair costs start at $49 for topcoat damage and go up to $1,499 for “other damage.” Here’s the full list, along with the price for the same repair if you have AppleCare coverage:
- Top coat damage: $49
With AppleCare+: $19 - Rear window damage: $199
With AppleCare+: $25 - Battery service: $229
With AppleCare+: Free - Backup camera damage: $229
With AppleCare+: $99 - Exterior screen damage: $379
With AppleCare+: $29 - Damage to outer display and back window: $509
With AppleCare+: $58 - Damage to inner display: $999
With AppleCare+: $99 - Other damage: $1,499
With AppleCare+: $149
It is important to remember that these are prices for repairs carried out by Apple and are therefore higher than prices offered by most third-party repair shops. It’s probably safe to assume that Apple wants users to subscribe to AppleCare too.
Although foldable phones have improved greatly since their introduction, they are still notoriously fragile. This seems to be particularly true for the iPhone Duo. Prolific leaker Ice Universe recently posted that the screen feels soft around the Duo’s crease and can develop deep creases when pressed with a finger.
– Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) October 20, 2026
This is speculated to be related to Apple’s supposedly ultra-thin variable thickness glass, which features a thinner central fold area and thicker surrounding areas.
AppleCare isn’t cheap. In the event of theft and loss, the fee is $20 per month or $200 per year ($399 upfront for two years of coverage). But that’s still better than giving half the price for the iPhone Duo if or when it breaks.
