Teardown videos have revealed the internal structure of Apple's foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo. Videos published by REWA Technology and Phone Repair Guru show two batteries of different capacities, for a combined total of 4,883mAh. The USB-C port can also be replaced independently, but being able to replace the port on its own is not the same as being able to replace it easily. Comparing the teardowns with the official repair manual Apple published on October 23, 2026 shows that the disassembly steps differ by component, as do the procedures required after replacement.
Two batteries of different capacities, 4,883mAh combined
The teardown videos confirmed that the iPhone Duo contains two batteries, rated at 2,962mAh and 1,921mAh. Their energy ratings are 11.56Wh and 7.5Wh, and the simple sum of their capacities is 4,883mAh.
| Battery | Rated capacity | Energy |
|---|---|---|
| Larger battery | 2,962mAh | 11.56Wh |
| Smaller battery | 1,921mAh | 7.5Wh |
| Total | 4,883mAh | — |
The 4,883mAh figure alone, however, does not tell us how long the phone will actually run. Nor can the individual capacities tell us how the two batteries are connected internally. What the teardown makes concrete is the capacity and energy rating of each battery inside the device.
REWA Technology's video also shows the logic board layout, including Apple's A20 Pro chip and C2 cellular modem. The iPhone Duo is also said to have no physical SIM card slot anywhere in the world, using eSIM only. That said, even when several outlets present the same teardown results, it does not mean each measured them independently.
It also has not been confirmed which of the large and small batteries seen in the teardown corresponds to "Battery 1" and "Battery 2" in Apple's repair manual. The difference in capacity alone is not enough to determine which is which.
Battery replacement requires different disassembly paths: the rear glass or the outer display
According to Apple's official repair procedures, Battery 1 and Battery 2 require different parts to be removed for replacement. Battery 1 is reached by removing the rear glass, while Battery 2 requires removing the outer display. Even though they are batteries in the same product, they are designed to be accessed from different directions.
Both batteries use a special adhesive whose grip can be weakened by passing electricity through it. In Apple's procedure, a 9V battery is connected to the adhesive tabs and a designated ground point, and current is applied for 90 seconds to release the adhesive holding the battery in place. This current is not meant to charge the built-in battery; it is a step for releasing the adhesive.
The 90 seconds, however, is only one step in releasing the adhesive, not the total time for a battery replacement. In practice, the rear glass or outer display must be removed, the battery swapped, and the parts reassembled. Apple also notes that the longer a product has been in use, the more time the adhesive release may take. An adhesive that can be released with electricity helps repairs, but it does not by itself make the whole replacement easy.
Apple provides separate replacement procedures for Battery 1 and Battery 2. This suggests a design intended for replacing the batteries individually, though the documentation does not state that both must always be replaced together.
The USB-C port is independently replaceable, but reaching it means removing multiple parts
Phone Repair Guru's teardown showed that the iPhone Duo's USB-C port can be removed as a standalone module. Apple also publishes a USB-C port replacement procedure in its official manual, confirming that the port can be removed from the chassis and swapped for a new part.
Reaching the port, however, takes several steps. In Apple's procedure, the outer display is first opened and the battery and display connections are disconnected. The input/output board (I/O board) is then removed, and the screws and adhesive holding the port are taken off before the USB-C port can be pulled out. The port itself can be replaced independently, but not without removing the surrounding parts.
Replacing the Touch ID button involves different work. Apple's official procedure requires removing the rear glass, cameras, and battery before starting. Removing the Touch ID button and the Camera Control button also includes a step of cutting retaining clips. Multiple parts must be removed in order, with care taken not to damage the connecting cables.
These differences show that even when a part can be replaced on its own, getting to it is not necessarily simple. Still, the number of steps listed in the manual alone cannot be used to compare actual repair time, difficulty, or success rate. To judge repairability, it is also necessary to check the conditions required for a replaced part to work properly, in addition to the disassembly steps.
Repair Assistant is "recommended" after battery replacement but "required" after Touch ID replacement
Apple's official repair manual also sets different conditions by component for running Repair Assistant after a part is replaced. Repair Assistant is a feature used to complete a repair, including verifying a replaced part on the device.
The procedures dated October 23, 2026 recommend running Repair Assistant after replacing Battery 1 and Battery 2. For the Touch ID button, by contrast, running it is required in order to enable the security features. These are different requirements, and simply installing a part does not necessarily complete the repair.
The table below compares how each part is accessed and the Repair Assistant conditions after replacement, based on four of Apple's official repair procedures.
| Part | Main work required before replacement | Repair Assistant | Official procedure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery 1 | Remove the rear glass | Recommended | Battery 1 |
| Battery 2 | Remove the outer display | Recommended | Battery 2 |
| USB-C port | Open the outer display, disconnect the battery, and remove the I/O board | Not individually specified in this procedure | USB-C Connector |
| Touch ID button | Remove the rear glass, cameras, and battery | Required to enable security features | Touch ID/Camera Control Buttons |
Battery 1 and Battery 2 share the same Repair Assistant condition but are reached by different disassembly paths. For the Touch ID button, further processing is needed after the physical replacement to enable the security features. The USB-C port procedure has no individual Repair Assistant specification, but that does not mean no post-replacement diagnostics or other processing is needed.
These are also comparisons of the work procedures Apple has defined, not measurements of actual repair time, labor cost, or replacement success rates. And the fact that replacement procedures are published in Apple's iPhone Duo repair manual does not guarantee that replacement parts can be purchased in every country or region.
The teardown videos and official repair procedures show that the iPhone Duo is built so that components such as the two batteries, the USB-C port, and the Touch ID button can be replaced individually. At the same time, the disassembly required varies greatly by part, and some replacements call for software steps afterward. Evaluating the iPhone Duo's repairability means considering not only which parts can be replaced, but also the work needed to reach them and the conditions for restoring normal function afterward.