iPhone Duo Foldable Screens Fail After US Launch

Apple is providing express replacements and in-store exchanges for customers reporting hardware failures on the iPhone Duo, the company's first foldable smartphone. The issues emerged immediately after the device launched in the United States on October 23.

Users in the United States, Australia, and China report inner-screen damage and hinge failures. Specific defects include screens cracking along the hinge and the appearance of bright, L-shaped pixel lines. One user in Australia reported the device failed after approximately six hours of use and fewer than 20 openings. In China, images have surfaced showing damaged demo units, though the exact cause of these failures remains unverified.

Apple's official troubleshooting guidance for the hinge addresses unexpected noise and looseness but does not identify a cause for the reported cracks. The company continues to market the precision-engineered hinge as durable, noting that some review units have completed over 32,000 folds without issue.