Apple replaces early iPhone Duos with hinge-related screen defects

Apple will replace its first foldable smartphone under warranty after acknowledging that a small number of iPhone Duo units have suffered inner screen damage linked to the device's hinge. The company stated on Monday that the issue affects a limited portion of the inventory and that affected owners should contact AppleCare for a full replacement.

The iPhone Duo launched on Friday, drawing long lines at retail locations for the pre-orders. The device is priced at 1,999 dollars or more. Over the first weekend, customers reported that the inner display developed horizontal bright lines radiating from the hinge area. While many reports came from anonymous users on platforms like Reddit and X, some images circulating online have been identified as fakes.

The potential cause of the defects was detailed by iFixit, a device repair firm that released a teardown video on Sunday. iFixit technician Shahram Mokhtari noted that users often reported hearing a crunch sound when folding or unfolding the phone, with damage occurring right where the hinge shape differs from standard designs.

Kyle Wiens, the CEO of iFixit, explained that the hinge consists of dozens of parts requiring extreme precision. He stated that a manufacturing variance or even a grain of sand could damage the fragile display panel protected by the mechanism. Apple has listed the cost of an out-of-warranty inner screen repair at 999 dollars on its website.

Screen breakage has been a persistent challenge for foldable technology since 2019, when Samsung released its first folding device and reviewers observed inner screen cracks during normal use. This history has often been cited as a barrier to the widespread adoption of such devices.

Early reviewers of the iPhone Duo praised the multitasking and media experience on the unfolded screen. However, they noted that many applications had not yet been updated to utilize the larger, wider display. Apple said on Monday that developers are currently working on updates to support the new form factor.

An Apple representative said in a statement that the response from early users has been positive and that the company is seeing rapid updates from developers. The company is monitoring the situation and processing replacement requests through its standard warranty channels.