Apple acknowledged that some iPhone Duo handsets have developed screen problems days after the highly-anticipated foldable device went on sale. The company said it was aware of "an issue impacting the inner display on a small number" of the phones and urged affected users to contact the company for a replacement.
Photos posted on social media show lines appearing on screens and cracks along the display's centre crease. Some owners also reported a crunching noise when opening the device. One user, Justin Lokos, posted images of a faulty device and later thanked an Apple store in New York for helping him replace it.
The iPhone Duo, which costs £1,999 at launch and up to £3,199 for the most well-equipped models, features a 7.6-inch inner display held together by a central hinge. Apple did not specify how many devices were affected. Some images showing faulty devices may have been created using artificial intelligence, which complicates assessment of the issue's scope.
Francisco Jeronimo, technology analyst at market research firm IDC, said caution was needed before drawing conclusions about the whole production run. However, he noted the early reports showed "that even a company with Apple's engineering resources and supply chain discipline faces a steep learning curve in foldables". The central hinge mechanism represents complex engineering that has caused similar flaws in competing foldable phones.
Samsung's first foldable phone, the Galaxy Fold, suffered a setback in 2019 when reviewers reported broken screens. Jeronimo said because Apple positioned the Duo as a "premium alternative" to established foldables, "how it handles this first-generation issue will shape buyer confidence in the category well beyond its own sales".
"Apple has a loyal customer base and a retail network that can swap devices on the spot, but with a further 28 markets launching on 30 October, it needs to clarify its warranty position quickly," Jeronimo said.
The Duo marks Apple's first major iPhone redesign in almost two decades. Chief executive John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook in September, unveiled the device at Apple's California headquarters last month. When closed, the Duo resembles a wider iPhone; opened, it becomes a tablet-like device.