Apple Inc.’s much-awaited first foldable , the iPhone Duo, was unveiled in September and went on sale on October 23. Within three days of its launch, the Duo, one of the year’s biggest product releases, had drawn a growing number of customer complaints about displays cracking within hours or days of use. Apple has now responded to the reports.
According to CNBC, the maker said on Monday (local time) that it is aware of the issue, adding that it has affected a “small number” of phones. It said the devices would be replaced if they are covered by AppleCare.
The representative said, “We are aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of units,” adding, “If users experience issues with their iPhone Duo display, they should contact AppleCare for a replacement.”
On its website, the company says an inner-screen repair will cost $999 for iPhone Duo devices that are out of warranty.
According to Bloomberg, several Duo users complained of screens breaking within hours or days of using the new iPhone. These reports first surfaced on platforms, including X and Reddit. Affected users said they heard a crunching noise while opening the phone, after which a pronounced crack appeared along the middle fold. Some also reported a white patch or other screen issues on the right side of the display.
Bloomberg News later confirmed the issue with more than six customers who shared photos of damaged devices or records of their conversations with Apple support.
Citing users who faced the issue, Bloomberg shared the account of a customer from San Diego, who said, “I went to unfold it, and it felt stuck/harder/slower to open than usual. And when I opened it, it had the lines on the screen.” He added, “You could feel a bump or loose piece under the display.”
Another user who had a similar experience said he heard a crunch-like sound while opening his device on Monday. He said, “I had all intent to post a positive review of my Duo experience today, until it happened to me,” and added, “The smaller outer screen works just fine, but the inner screen is now unusable.”
This comes after Apple’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), , previously dismissed competing Android fold phones, calling them “cheap and crappy”.
All affected users said they noticed a raised spot beneath the display close to where the crack appeared. Repair website iFixit, which takes apart devices to examine their parts, said it suspects a hinge component is failing and damaging the screen, rather than the display panel being the source of the problem. The repair website added that it has faced similar issues with new iPhone hardware, including the iPhone 6 Plus in 2014, which would bend easily, and the iPhone 4 in 2010, which sometimes lost reception when users touched the antenna cutout around the device.
According to reports, while the problem appears to affect only a handful of devices, it marks an embarrassing setback for the iPhone maker, which has spent over a decade perfecting the device and promoted its superior durability, hinge design, and display technology.
(with Bloomberg inputs)
