Apple has acknowledged that a small number of iPhone Duo devices suffer from early inner-display failures and is directing affected owners to AppleCare for replacements. The company's first foldable phone, priced from $1,999, went on sale in stores on Friday. Apple says most units are not susceptible and that affected devices reveal the defect soon after initial use.
Owners have described screens cracking within hours or days, sometimes after an audible crunch while unfolding the device. Reported symptoms include cracks along the central crease, bright lines and white patches. Some customers have obtained replacements in stores, but others face waits amid limited inventory, following preorders that sold out within minutes.
A teardown by repair group iFixit suggests that the hinge could exert excessive pressure on the flexible display. Using a three-dimensional model based on teardown footage, patents and CT scans, the group found a simulated scenario in which a central support bar failed to retract sufficiently. The proposed mechanism remains a possible explanation rather than a confirmed cause.
The teardown also found that fine particles can enter the hinge despite the phone's IP68 dust-resistance rating, potentially damaging the display. Although iFixit described the Duo as the most repairable foldable device yet, its inner screen and hinge remained major obstacles. It assigned a provisional repairability score of five out of ten, pending replacement-part availability. Separately from Apple's replacement offer, its support site lists out-of-warranty inner-screen repairs at $999.
