The iPhone Duo’s screen is cracking along the fold
Early iPhone Duo users are reporting inner display failures just hours after purchase. The screen cracks near the fold, after which bright lines appear on the panel or part of the image stops working.iPhone Duo
Screen cracks near the hinge
One of the most thoroughly documented cases occurred in Australia. The owner says they had used the iPhone Duo for about six hours and opened it fewer than 20 times. When opening the phone again, they felt resistance around the inner hinge and then heard a distinct crack. Damage appeared along the fold, along with a bright line of pixels.
The user says there were no signs of impact or a foreign object on the screen’s surface or the outside of the hinge. Apple initially offered an express replacement, temporarily placing a hold on the card for the phone’s full price, but later replaced the device for free at an Apple Store.
Another buyer encountered a similar problem while setting up their iPhone Duo for the first time. They say they had folded the device about four times. Before it broke, the hinge became stiffer, and then a loud click sounded as they opened it further. An Apple Store in Dallas also replaced the phone at no charge.
Photos of other damaged units have surfaced in the US, Canada and China. In many of the images, the defect appears in roughly the same area: damage forms along the fold, with a bright line extending from it toward the edge of the display.
Cause remains unknown
The similar location of the defect suggests it may be related to the hinge design or the installation of the flexible OLED panel, but there is no evidence to confirm this yet. Theories that the screen may be pinched by internal components when the phone is opened are based solely on photos and user speculation.
The true scale of the problem is also unknown. So far, only a handful of cases have been reported, making it too early to conclude that the issue affects an entire batch of iPhone Duos. Apple has not announced a problem or a service program either.
Service centers have responded differently. Owners in Australia and the US had their faulty phones replaced quickly. However, the author of a roundup of cases from China says a damaged phone in Shanghai was deemed to have been damaged by the user, and warranty replacement was denied. The circumstances of that case have not been independently verified.
Stress tests have not revealed this kind of failure
The first independent tests of the iPhone Duo suggest the problem does not occur on every device. Journalist Joanna Stern tested the phone on a dedicated rig, completing more than 32, 000 folding cycles. The screen did not crack, and the hinge remained functional, although measurements showed a slight change in its stiffness.tested
In another test, the iPhone Duo withstood thousands of folds without a similar display failure. However, the crease itself became deeper and more noticeable over time.
For now, the reports suggest a possible defect affecting individual units or a production batch, rather than a proven design flaw in all iPhone Duos. A clearer picture should emerge once more devices have been sold and Apple responds officially.
