$1,999 iPhone Duo is in spotlight due to cracks appearing just days after release - has Apple responded
Kyiv • UNN
Apple confirmed a screen-cracking issue affecting a small number of iPhone Duo devices. The cause may be pressure from the flexible display on the hinge. Repairs may cost $999.
Apple stores reportedly received an internal memo about cracks in the iPhone Duo's screen. UNN reports this, citing MacRumors.
Details
In an internal memo sent this week to Apple stores and authorized Apple service providers, obtained by MacRumors, Apple provided technicians with instructions on diagnosing and resolving the issue of cracking in the iPhone Duo's inner display.
MacRumors claims that the instructions for technicians are straightforward, but "the fact that Apple published an internal memo indicates that the issue is widespread enough to require official guidance."
iFixit told The Verge that the cracks may occur because the flexible screen presses against part of the hinge.
Apple confirmed this week that there is an "issue" affecting a "small number" of iPhone Duo devices.
As Fortune notes, some owners of the iPhone Duo, which went on sale only on October 23, said that Apple's $1,999 foldable iPhone cracked within hours of being unboxed.
Some early iPhone Duo buyers said that the phone's 7.6-inch inner display cracked along the hinge. On Monday, Apple told CNBC that it was "aware of an issue affecting the inner display of a small number of iPhone Duo devices" and directed affected customers to AppleCare for replacements.
Apple did not immediately say what exactly was causing the cracking or whether a fix was planned, nor did it announce a recall. Affected owners were able to receive replacements at a store, but supplies are limited, so some are waiting.
Once the phone's warranty expires, the math changes. Apple lists the cost of repairing the inner screen at $999, which is half the phone's starting price. This is significantly more than a similar repair for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold, which cost between $419 and $579, according to an iFixit comparison.
For now, the warranty covers expenses for early buyers. Apple's one-year warranty covers defects arising from normal use, and there is a 14-day return period, Tom's Guide notes.