IT·Science News

Apple will replace faulty iPhone Duo screens, but has not said what causes the cracks

Apple says it will replace iPhone Duo handsets affected by a screen problem, BBC News reports, after photos shared online showed faults appearing on the screens of the company’s first foldable device. The Duo began shipping the week before, and damage reports appeared over the weekend, some of them hours after first use, according to The National in Abu Dhabi.

“We are aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units.” — Apple, via Khaleej Times and The National

Users with cracked or pixelated screens are told to contact AppleCare for a replacement. Apple has not said what causes the problem. Images shared on Reddit, The National says, show damage concentrated near the hinge of the inner display: vertical cracks, bright lines on the right side and, on some devices, dead pixels.

How each outlet framed it

• BBC News — the fix: Apple will swap affected phones.
• Khaleej Times — the cause, via Reuters: iFixit’s 3D simulation found the damage clustered below a display cable near a central support bar, a possible stress point when the phone folds. IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo called Apple’s quick offer the “right first step”.
• The National — the stakes for buyers: the phone costs Dh8,499 to Dh13,599 in the UAE, early online orders sold out within minutes, and Samsung and Google already have years of experience with flexible displays.

What we don't know yet: how many phones are affected and whether the design will change. Apple had not commented on iFixit’s findings, which also rated the Duo the most repairable foldable phone it has tested.