iPhone Duo screen problems started showing up within hours of the foldable’s October 23 launch. Apple has since said a small number of units have an inner display issue, but it has not said what causes it or how many are affected.
The $1,999 iPhone Duo, which opened for pre-order on October 16, goes on sale in 28 more countries and regions on Friday, October 30, on top of the more than 70 that got it on October 23. Apple has not said which markets are on that list.
Apple confirms iPhone Duo screen problems on some units
Apple gave its statement on Monday, October 26, and told owners to contact AppleCare for a replacement. It did not say whether replacements cost anything.
Owners describe hearing a crunch while unfolding the iPhone Duo, then a crack along the center crease and a bright line across the display. Several also felt a bump under the display near where the crack started. One Australian owner described a cracked inner screen six hours after unboxing and fewer than 20 openings.
Replacements have gone unevenly from one owner to the next. Some Apple Store customers got a new iPhone Duo on the spot. Carrier buyers and owners far from a store waited, and one buyer was told the damage was accidental.
Teardowns and tests keep landing on the hinge
The iPhone Duo’s 7.6-inch inner display folds between high-strength glass above and below, with a titanium plate at the bottom and custom adhesives that let the layers slide against each other. Its cover layer is a nano-textured polymer that Apple says is up to 40 percent stiffer than other materials in the industry.
In its teardown, iFixit found the breaks cluster near where the flex cable gap meets the central hinge support. One of its simulations has the center support bar failing to drop far enough. The folded screen would then land on it and create a stress hotspot, which iFixit offers as one possible answer.
A second teardown of a cracked unit by YouTuber CuriousHagi found the middle link of the hinge snapped, with crush marks on the plate it meshes with. That is one dissected iPhone Duo, so the finding covers a single unit.
Fine M-Tech, a Korean supplier of the metal plate behind the display, says its parts are not the cause. Its shares fell 15.7% on Monday. Apple builds the hinge from more than 100 components, which makes it hard to pin on a single part.
In JerryRigEverything’s test, dust entered around the hinge until the magnets could no longer pull the iPhone Duo shut. A single bend then left a permanent green line across the inner screen, which stopped responding to touch. The inner display scratched at level 2 on the Mohs scale, while the Ceramic Shield 2 outer display held until level 7.
An iPhone Duo that crunches should stay closed
If the hinge stiffens at one angle or crunches, keep the iPhone Duo closed and use the outer display. Back it up while touch still works, following these cracked display steps. Then book a visit at an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider instead of forcing it open.
Do not peel off the cover layer or try a repair yourself, because repairs outside Apple or an Authorized Service Provider are not covered by the warranty or AppleCare+. If glass is loose, cover the crack with clear tape.
To avoid the problem, open the iPhone Duo with two hands in one smooth motion and keep it closed in a pocket or bag. Apple rates it IP68 for up to 6 meters and 30 minutes, with a footnote that resistance can decrease with normal wear. Keep sand and lint out of the hinge using these screen and hinge care tips.
The inner display repair costs $999 without AppleCare+
Apple’s estimated US repair fees run from $49 for the cover layer to $999 for the inner display, and $1,499 for damage filed as other damage. With AppleCare+, the inner display fee drops to $99 and the cover layer to $19.
In its teardown, iFixit notes that replacing the inner display at $999 costs half as much as buying a whole new device. That puts the repair at roughly half of the $1,999 starting price.
The iPhone Duo earned a provisional 5 out of 10 for repairability, the highest score iFixit has given a foldable, and iFixit says the inner display and hinge account for the biggest deduction. The score is provisional because iFixit is still waiting on replacement parts.
