Apple is facing its first hardware issue just days after the launch of the iPhone Duo, with some users reporting cracks and visual defects appearing on the device's internal folding display.
The company's first foldable smartphone was released on 23 October and generated significant interest, with initial online stock reportedly selling out within minutes and demand exceeding early supply.
However, reports soon began appearing on social media from users who noticed cracks, distortions and other abnormalities on the inner display.
Most of the reported damage appears near the fold line and hinge area, where the screen bends when the device is opened and closed.
Apple acknowledges the issue
In a statement issued on 26 October, Apple confirmed that a limited number of devices are affected.
The company advised customers experiencing the problem to contact AppleCare support to arrange for a replacement device.
Apple has not yet disclosed the exact cause of the defects and has not indicated whether any design modifications will be required.
Hinge under scrutiny
Repair specialist iFixit has attempted to identify a possible source of the problem by analysing the phone's internal hinge mechanism.
Using teardown images, engineering drawings and CT scans, technicians created a three-dimensional model of the hinge to study the forces generated when the device is folded.
According to the company's analysis, one possibility is that a central support component may not retract sufficiently when the device closes.
If that is happening, increased pressure could be applied to a specific section of the flexible display, potentially explaining why several reported cracks have appeared in a similar location.
However, iFixit stressed that this remains a technical hypothesis rather than a confirmed explanation, and other potential causes linked to the phone's moving components are also being examined.
Despite the issue, iFixit described the iPhone Duo as the most repairable foldable smartphone it has assessed so far, awarding it a provisional repairability score of 5 out of 10.
Comparisons with Samsung
The situation has drawn comparisons with Samsung's first-generation Galaxy Fold, which encountered display problems in 2019 and prompted the company to delay the device's commercial launch.
Francisco Jeronimo, vice-president at research firm IDC, said Apple's decision to replace affected devices was an appropriate first step.
According to Jeronimo, responding quickly and transparently can help limit the impact of such issues, particularly when dealing with a new product category.
