Apple’s newly launched foldable iPhone Duo is facing customer complaints after users reported cracks and display malfunctions within hours or days of using the device.
Several customers said they heard a crunching sound while unfolding the phone, followed by a crack appearing along the centre crease of the inner display. Some users also reported white patches and other display issues on the right side of the screen.
The first reports emerged on Reddit and other social media platforms. Bloomberg News subsequently verified the problem with more than half a dozen customers who provided photographs of damaged devices and records of their conversations with Apple support.
Apple acknowledged the issue, saying it was aware of a problem affecting the inner display of a small number of iPhone Duo units.
“If users experience issues with their iPhone Duo display, they should contact AppleCare for a replacement,” the company said.
Apple added that most devices were unaffected and that the problem appeared quickly in units experiencing the defect.
Tom Battle, an Apple customer from San Diego, said he noticed resistance while unfolding his phone before discovering lines on the display. He also reported feeling a bump or loose component beneath the screen.
Venture capitalist Jonathan King described a similar experience, saying he heard a crunch-like sound while opening his device. He said the outer display continued to work, but the inner screen became unusable and registered touches that he had not made.
The reports represent a setback for Apple, which spent more than a decade developing the foldable device and promoted its durability, hinge design and display technology.
The iPhone Duo, which went on sale on Friday, marks Apple’s first entry into the foldable smartphone market and introduces a major design change to its flagship product. Like other foldable phones, it features a smaller external screen that opens to reveal a larger inner display.
During development, Apple worked to minimise the visibility of the crease running down the centre of the unfolded screen, a challenge that has affected other foldable smartphones.
Bloomberg said it did not encounter the problem on a review unit supplied by Apple or on another device purchased independently.
Another customer, identified as Centrino31A, told Bloomberg that the inner display developed a crack-like line and discolouration while he was reading Apple News. He said the phone’s exterior and the surface of the inner display showed no visible damage, suggesting the fault was beneath the screen.
The customer said an Apple retail store in Richmond, Virginia, identified the issue as a defect requiring replacement. However, he faced delays because of limited customer-support appointments and a lack of replacement stock.
He described the experience as frustrating, particularly because the device starts at $1,999.
Customers affected by the problem reported feeling a bump beneath the display near the point where the crack appeared. Repair platform iFixit suggested that a failing hinge component could be responsible for damaging the screen, rather than a fault in the display panel itself.
Apple has faced hardware-related complaints with previous iPhone models. The iPhone 6 Plus drew criticism in 2014 over reports that it bent easily, while the iPhone 4 faced reception problems when users touched the antenna area.
IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo said the reports highlight the engineering challenges involved in developing foldable smartphones, even for a company with Apple’s extensive engineering resources and supply-chain expertise.
