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▶ Reports are mounting on Reddit and other online forums of iPhone Duo owners whose inner displays have cracked along the hinge.
▶ An Australian buyer said the screen broke about six hours after receiving the phone, after fewer than 20 folds. The buyer said an Apple Store immediately replaced it with a new device.
▶ Most photos of the damage show a bright line of pixels along the hinge. A photo has also surfaced of a damaged display model at a store in China.
Apple’s first foldable phone faced a durability test just one day after its launch. On Oct. 23, tech outlet MacRumors reported that buyers were posting accounts on Reddit and its own forums of iPhone Duo inner displays cracking along the hinge.
The iPhone Duo went on sale on Oct. 23 in major markets, including South Korea. In South Korea, the starting price is 3.29 million won for the 256GB model, with the top configuration priced at 5.09 million won.
“I’d opened it fewer than 20 times”
The most widely shared account came from an Australian buyer. The buyer said the phone had arrived about six hours earlier and had been unfolded fewer than 20 times. While opening it to show a friend, the buyer felt something catch near the hinge at the bottom of the screen. As the phone was opened further, there was a cracking sound and a crack appeared along the hinge. The buyer said there was no debris or visible damage on the inner screen’s surface or the exterior hinge. The buyer went to an Apple Store and said the phone was replaced immediately.
Most of the other photos posted to the MacRumors forums and Reddit also show damage along the hinge. In most cases, a bright line of pixels appears on one side of the screen. A photo of a broken display model at an Apple Store in China has also circulated. Sales began in China a few hours earlier than in the United States.
What is—and isn’t—known
For most of the photos posted online, it is unclear how the damage occurred, and user-inflicted damage may be responsible. Reviewers who received the phone before launch and tested it by repeatedly folding and unfolding it did not report any screen problems.
However, the number of cases is small. It is not yet clear how widespread the issue is or whether more reports will emerge. Apple has not commented on the damage reports. MacRumors expects Apple to collect defective devices, investigate where and why they are breaking, and apply what it learns to the manufacturing process.
Apple expressed confidence in the phone’s durability before launch. In a September interview, Tom Marieb, Apple’s vice president of hardware engineering, said the device had undergone accelerated testing simulating about five years of everyday use. Addressing concerns about screen creases, he said, “Hold us accountable.”
There have also been complaints about usability. The Verge, a U.S. tech publication, said the phone was awkward to use one-handed and that some apps did not make proper use of the screen’s aspect ratio. It also noted limitations on multitasking: split-screen view is fixed at a 50-50 ratio, and pop-up apps cannot be opened.
Samsung faced a similar issue seven years ago
Apple is not the first company to encounter early damage problems with a foldable phone. In April 2019, Samsung Electronics delayed the launch of its first Galaxy Fold after review units suffered repeated screen damage, including cases in which reviewers peeled off the screen protector or debris entered through gaps in the hinge.
Samsung revised the design, including by sealing the hinge gap and extending the protective layer beneath the edges of the screen, and relaunched the phone five months later.
Because foldable phones are subject to repeated stress at the folding point, the durability of the hinge and inner display is critical to the overall quality of the device.
What buyers should do now
The first thing buyers should check is the warranty coverage. Apple provides a two-year limited warranty from the date of purchase for manufacturing defects in iPhones sold in South Korea. Even if the hinge or inner display breaks during normal use, a free repair is available only if the damage is determined to be a manufacturing defect. If a problem occurs, it is advisable to photograph and video the damage and have the phone inspected at an Apple Store or authorized service center.
Repair costs can be substantial if the damage is not covered by the warranty. Apple’s estimated repair prices in South Korea are 1,649,000 won for the inner display and 559,000 won for the outer display. Other damage is estimated at 2,469,000 won—about 75% of the 3.29 million won starting price for the 256GB model. If only the cover layer, which protects the inner screen, is damaged, the estimated repair cost is 79,000 won. The actual cost may vary depending on the inspection results.
A two-year AppleCare+ plan costs 549,000 won. For covered damage to the inner display, subscribers pay 120,000 won per repair. The plan fee plus the cost of one repair comes to 669,000 won, which is 980,000 won less than the estimated cost of repairing an inner display not covered by the warranty. However, if the damage is determined to be a manufacturing defect, the repair is free regardless of whether the buyer has AppleCare+.
During use, owners should take care to keep debris out of the hinge and prevent sharp objects from touching the inner display. However, it has not been established whether cases of damage with no signs of external impact can be attributed to user negligence. The cause of the damage and responsibility for it can only be determined after Apple completes its investigation.