GoKawiilApple runs graphite heat pipe through iPhone Duo's hinge for A20 Pro cooling
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone Duo and the iPhone 18 Pro line will both use the new A20 Pro chip, built with an 'M-class-inspired' packaging design borrowed from Mac processors. To manage heat in the foldable's tight, hinge-divided chassis, Apple engineered a graphite thermal pathway that runs through the hinge itself to spread heat away from the chip. Apple silicon engineering VP Dan Murray and thermal design manager Banafsheh Barabadi described the design choices to accommodate one chip across two very different phone shapes.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Fitting a single high-performance chip into both a slab phone and a foldable suggests Apple wants to standardize its silicon lineup rather than design separate chips per form factor, which could simplify manufacturing and software support. The hinge-routed cooling solution indicates foldables present unique thermal engineering challenges that traditional phone designs don't face, since the folding mechanism itself becomes part of the thermal management system. This could hint at how seriously Apple is addressing performance concerns that have dogged foldable phones from competitors.
- The A20 Pro chip powers both the iPhone 18 Pro line and the upcoming foldable iPhone Duo, launching Oct. 23.
- Apple routed a graphite heat pipe through the Duo's hinge to help dissipate heat in its constrained foldable chassis.
- The A20 Pro borrows packaging design elements from Apple's M-series Mac chips to manage space and thermal demands.
Apple iPhone Duo — If you're intrigued by Apple's engineering feat of routing a graphite thermal pipe through the hinge, the iPhone Duo is the device where you can see that innovation in action. It brings the same A20 Pro power as the iPhone 18 Pro line to Apple's first foldable design, letting you experience cutting-edge thermal management firsthand.
See Apple iPhone Duo on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: pcmag.com, 2026-10-13
Published there as: “Apple routed a graphite pipe through the iPhone Duo's hinge to dissipate heat”
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