The first buyers of Apple’s foldable iPhone Duo smartphone have reported damage to the internal displays on the very day sales began. One owner in Australia stated that the screen of his device, costing $1999, cracked less than six hours after purchase and after being unfolded approximately 20 times. Similar photos have also emerged in China. MacRumors and The Verge reported on the issue on 23 October. Apple has replaced the damaged smartphone for one of the buyers, but the causes of the faults and their prevalence remain unknown.
- iPhone Duo owners reported cracks in the internal displays on the day sales began, 23 October.
- A smartphone costing $1999 broke down after about six hours of use.
- According to the owner, the device has been unfolded fewer than 20 times.
- The Apple Store replaced my damaged smartphone with a new one free of charge.
- Photographs of damaged prototype models have also been published in China.
The iPhone Duo cracked after being opened and closed a few times
One of the first incidents took place in Australia. A Reddit user going by the username Midnight_Slump said that he had bought iPhone Duo on the day sales officially began, and only managed to use it for about six hours.
According to the owner, he had unfolded the smartphone fewer than 20 times during that period. The problem arose when the man was showing the device to a friend.
Whilst opening it as usual, he felt an unusual resistance beneath the inner display, near the hinge. He then heard a crack, and damage appeared on the screen along the fold line.
The owner claims that the smartphone was not dropped, and there were no visible signs of physical damage or foreign objects on its surface or on the outside of the hinge.
The customer contacted the Apple Store, where they immediately replaced the faulty device with a new one at no extra cost.
There are also reports of damaged screens in China
Following the launch, photographs of other iPhone Duo models with damage to the internal display began to appear on Chinese social media.
Some of the images show vertical stripes along the hinge and bright lines of pixels running across part of the screen. The published photographs also include damaged display models from shops.
Chinese shoppers gained access to the new product a few hours earlier than their American counterparts due to the time difference.
At the same time, the circumstances surrounding the damage to most of these smartphones remain unknown. It is impossible to tell from the photographs whether the defects arose during normal use or were caused by external factors.
What is known about a possible hinge fault?
Most of the reported cases share a common feature: the damage is concentrated near the central fold line of the inner display. It is in this area that the screen is subjected to mechanical stress every time the owner opens or closes the smartphone. However, the existence of a few similar cases does not in itself prove that the entire model has a design fault.
Some technology reviewers had previously tested the iPhone Duo by folding it repeatedly and had not observed any similar cracks. This suggests that further investigation is needed into the causes of the faults.
As at 24 October Apple has not published any official findings regarding reports of screen damage. Nor is there any confirmed data on the number of faulty devices amongst all smartphones sold.
How much does the iPhone Duo cost, and how does it differ from a standard iPhone?
The iPhone Duo was the first a foldable smartphone Apple. The company unveiled it on 9 September 2026, and official sales began on 23 October. The starting price of the device in the US is $1999.
The smartphone features two displays: an external 5.4-inch screen and a 7.6-inch internal foldable screen. The design incorporates a titanium body and a specially developed hinge that supports the central part of the display when unfolded.
During the Apple presentations She emphasised the robustness of the design and the ability of the inner screen to withstand the stresses of everyday use.
The first reports of cracks emerged less than a day after the device was launched.
What should iPhone Duo owners do if the screen is cracked?
Customers who have encountered a similar problem should contact an official Apple service centre or the shop where they purchased their smartphone.
Apple provides a standard one-year limited warranty, which covers manufacturing defects subject to the specified conditions. However, eligibility for a free replacement depends on the results of an inspection of the specific device.
The case of an Australian customer shows that the Apple Store has already replaced one damaged iPhone Duo.
It is not yet known whether the initial complaints are linked to a specific batch of smartphones or to design features. Conclusions regarding the reliability of the new model can only be drawn once the causes of the damage have been established.
