Chips & Hardware
iPhone Duo screens are cracking, and Apple confirms a flaw
Early iPhone Duo buyers report screens cracking within hours or days, and Apple says it's aware of an issue affecting a small number of units.
Apple’s new foldable, the iPhone Duo, is drawing complaints just as it reaches early buyers. Bloomberg reports that some owners have had screens crack “after just hours or days of use,” with some describing a loud crunching sound right before a crack appears; others report display malfunctions. 404 Media separately reported deep creases forming across the center of the $2,000 display. Apple told Bloomberg it is “aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units.” TechCrunch has also reached out to Apple for comment. The complaints are an awkward start for a device Apple unveiled at this year’s Surprise and Shine event with a pitch that it had finally solved the durability problems that have dogged foldable phones industry-wide; the early reports suggest that promise may not hold up.
Why it matters
A visible defect this early tests Apple’s claim that it cracked the engineering problem that has plagued every foldable phone before it, and could shape how willing buyers are to pay a premium for the format going forward.