Apple Offers To Replace 'Cracking' iPhone Duo Handsets Days After Its First Foldable Launch

Apple has offered replacement iPhone Duo handsets after customers reported cracks and display faults within days of the foldable phone's release on Friday, 23 October. The company acknowledged the problem on Monday, 26 October, saying it affected a small number of devices, but did not disclose how many.

The complaints followed a closely watched debut for Apple's first foldable iPhone, which opens to reveal a 7.6-inch inner display. The handset starts at £1,999 in Britain, rising to £3,199 for the 2TB model. Strong early demand had already depleted initial online inventory, according to Reuters.

Some customers described hearing a crunch as they unfolded the phone, followed by a crack along the central crease or bright lines across the screen. Those reports have prompted questions about the hinge, although neither the cause nor the prevalence of the failures has been established.

Apple Offers iPhone Duo Replacements Following Screen Complaints

'We are aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units,' Apple said in a statement. 'If users experience issues with their iPhone Duo display, they should contact AppleCare for a replacement.'

The company said affected devices tended to develop symptoms quickly. It did not release a fault rate, identify the components responsible or announce a change to the phone's design. Its response concerns customers experiencing display problems, not an unconditional replacement offer for every handset.

Among the owners reporting problems was Justin Lokos, who described a cracking sound when he opened his phone. Bloomberg reported that he received a replacement at Apple's Fifth Avenue store in New York after sharing details of the failure with staff.

Bloomberg said it had independently checked complaints from more than half a dozen customers, including photographs or records of discussions with Apple support. Those accounts give substance to the reports but cannot establish how many phones are affected across the wider production run.

For British buyers, Apple's replacement offer is not the only potential route to a remedy. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, consumers have statutory rights where goods are faulty, with the available remedy depending on the circumstances. Those rights are separate from optional AppleCare+ cover.

iPhone Duo Hinge Theory Remains Unconfirmed

Repair specialist iFixit examined the handset after complaints emerged, using teardown footage, patents and CT scans to create a three-dimensional model of its folding mechanism. It compared that model with the locations of damage visible in photographs of reported failures.

Its analysis highlighted an area near the transition between a display cable opening and the hinge's central support. One possible explanation was that a support bar might not move sufficiently clear of the screen as the phone closes, creating pressure at a vulnerable point.

iFixit also considered other moving parts as possible contributors. Its simulation did not demonstrate that a particular component had failed in any customer's handset, and Apple has not confirmed that the hinge is responsible for the reported damage.

The specialist awarded the Duo a provisional repairability score of 5 out of 10, its highest for a foldable smartphone. It praised the accessibility of the batteries and outer display, while warning that work on the inner screen and hinge remained difficult. Repairability does not, by itself, measure reliability.

The episode recalls problems with Samsung's original Galaxy Fold in 2019, when early screen failures disrupted the product's introduction. Francisco Jeronimo, a vice president at research firm IDC, called Apple's replacement offer the 'right first step' and pointed to the importance of responding quickly and transparently.

Apple's chief executive, John Ternus, presented the Duo at its September unveiling as a significant new direction for the iPhone. The device is scheduled to reach another 28 countries and regions on Friday, 30 October, while the number of affected handsets and the cause of the screen faults remain undisclosed.