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Quick summary
One of the official Apple iPhone Duo cases is not quite as magnetic as the description suggests, with the discovery that it uses adhesive strips to stick to the phone.
The iPhone Duo is now available for pre-order and many will be wondering how best to protect their new iPhone.
If you’re spending £2,000/$2,000 on a new foldable iPhone, you’ll probably want to consider how to protect it. With iPhone Duo pre-orders now open, the cases are also available to buy, but have raised a quandary.
Apple offers two official cases – the iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand and the iPhone Duo Case, respectively at £129 / $129 and £79 / $79. But it’s the latter of these cases that is getting the attention right now.
The description of the case in the Apple Store says: “With built-in magnets that perfectly align with the iPhone Duo, this case offers a magical attachment experience…” However, early buyers found that you had to use glue to stick it to the phone.
This comes in the form of some strips that are sanded off so that the edges hold better. The fact that it uses glue surprised some buyers, which led to a wide discussion on Reddit, as well as photos on X (via 9to5Mac).
The use of glue is common in folding phone cases, especially for the thin surround you need for the cover display. But the fact that it isn’t mentioned on Apple’s site — with Apple talking about the “magical Attach experience” instead — has drawn some comment.
It also raises questions about the best way to protect your flip phone. We recently shared the cost of iPhone Duo repairs if you damage the device, so many will be looking for the best cases to buy.
Protecting the back of the phone is easy because you have space to work with, but protecting the screen protector is another matter because there is very little space, just a slim frame.
The adhesive is usually used to help these cases stay in place, since you can’t clip on a case like you can with a normal phone.
(Image credit: Apple)
Adhesives come with concerns: removing the case reduces the adhesive (with the risk of residue remaining on the device), while it can also trap dust, which can then damage the frame after a long time.
Unlike a normal magnet or clip on cases, adhesive cases are more difficult to remove and clean, and then replace.
That’s not the only consideration: a folding phone in a case gets thicker and the iPhone Duo is already 11.3 mm thick. Some people will just decide to wear their device “sticky”, ie without a case at all.
There is a whole range of iPhone Duo cases available on Amazon (including the official Apple cases), but the big decision will be whether to use one or not.