Iphone Duo Hinge Design Blamed for Screen Cracks
WHO:
Futurism - Apple chief hardware officer Johny Srouji described the company’s hinge-matching and finishing process at an event.
Korea JoongAng Daily - Korean buyers who reported no defects said the “crackgate” controversy was enough to make them return their iPhone Duos.
Business Insider - Apple said the screen issue affects a “small number” of iPhone Duo units and advised affected customers to contact AppleCare for replacements.
The Verge - Shahram Mokhtari, iFixit’s lead teardown technician, examined the iPhone Duo and described a possible hinge-related cause of screen damage.
The Verge - YouTuber CuriousHagi recorded a screen break during a durability test and later found in a teardown video that a hinge part connected to the central bar had snapped.
Business Insider - Crypto.com’s official account posted about using the iPhone Duo for trading; social-media users subsequently made memes about crypto traders and the phone.
WHAT:
Futurism - Srouji said Apple uses algorithms to match each hinge with a best-fit housing, then scans each unit’s surface and 3D-prints up to 25 micro-layers of custom photopolymer to address residual waviness.
Korea JoongAng Daily - Buyers in Korea also cited app-compatibility problems involving Naver Map, YouTube, and Instagram, touch glitches, the phone’s heft, and lack of Face ID.
Korea JoongAng Daily - Apple Korea’s online-store policy allows returns or exchanges within 14 days of receipt if the device is undamaged; the policy does not cover purchases from other retailers or carriers.
Korea JoongAng Daily - Apple’s Korean warranty covers manufacturing defects with replacement or free repair for two years; user-caused damage is excluded.
Korea JoongAng Daily - Apple Myeongdong had no replacement stock, while Apple Hongdae employees said exchanges depended on inventory and manufacturing-defect repairs could take about a month.
Korea JoongAng Daily - Korean resale listings put 256GB models at 3.1 million to 3.3 million won, near or below the 3.29 million won retail price; before launch, 512GB models averaged 559,000 won above their 3.59 million won retail price.
Korea JoongAng Daily - One buyer who returned a Duo switched to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8, citing its lower price and greater storage.
CBS News US - One iPhone Duo owner said, “I didn't even make it through setup,” before the phone cracked shortly after purchase.
Business Insider - Early iPhone Duo owners reported cracks along the center fold, sometimes with a bright line of stuck pixels on one side of the inner display. Apple said its response from early users had been “incredibly positive.”
The Verge - Photos of damaged phones showed cracks or other damage around the middle of the inner screen above the hinge, with lines on the display’s right side. Apple acknowledged an “issue” and said it was replacing damaged units, without specifying how many had been reported.
Business Insider - The Duo has a 7.6-inch inner display that supports two apps side by side, and a 5.4-inch outer display usable when the phone is closed. The article lists its price as $1,999.
Business Insider - Some widely shared images of damaged Duo screens were altered or AI-generated; users also posted crack-themed jokes and wallpapers.
WHERE:
Korea JoongAng Daily - Buyers reported returns and resale activity in South Korea; Apple Hongdae and Apple Myeongdong were among the stores handling customer inquiries.
The Verge - The reported damage is concentrated near the hinge and center fold of the iPhone Duo’s inner display.
WHEN:
Korea JoongAng Daily - Apple online-store orders were scheduled for delivery on Jan. 22 or 23, 2027.
WHY:
Korea JoongAng Daily - Buyers cited concern about future screen failures, the phone’s price, and the cost of AppleCare+ as reasons for returning it.
Business Insider - Some users joked that the Duo’s multi-screen design could worsen short attention spans by enabling multiple activities at once and could facilitate doomscrolling.
The Verge - Mokhtari said the flexible inner screen may press against a hinge component. A central hinge support bar may not always drop far enough as the screen folds, potentially creating a stress “hot spot” between the bar and the bent screen.
The Verge - Mokhtari said foldable screens and hinges are “extremely delicate” and “extremely complicated,” so some failures are expected.
HOW:
Futurism - Apple uses a confocal laser to scan hinge-unit topology during manufacturing; the article said “AI algorithms” could refer to machine-learning methods and did not necessarily mean generative AI.
The Verge - The hinge uses gears, springs, and joints to let the phone close flat while allowing the screen room to bend more gently and avoid a deeper crease.
The Verge - iFixit’s teardown showed the center hinge support making space for a crossing flex cable, leaving several edges that could be involved in the damage. Mokhtari said metal may contact the screen at the black spot visible in some damaged-display photos.
The Verge - Mokhtari said Apple’s engineers are collecting first-generation hinge data and predicted Apple would redesign the suspected faulty part in a next-generation foldable. He said continued similar failures could make the issue more widespread and potentially lead to a recall.
(UPDATED October 29, 2026 04:05 UTC)
Apple says screen damage affects a small number of its $1,999 iPhone Duo foldables, with cracks and stuck-pixel lines reported around the inner screen’s center fold; the company is offering replacements and advises affected owners to contact AppleCare. iFixit teardown specialist Shahram Mokhtari said the hinge may press against the flexible display, creating a stress point, while Apple’s hardware chief described a manufacturing process that matches each hinge to its housing and scans the surface for flaws. In South Korea, some buyers are returning even undamaged phones over fears of future failures, alongside complaints about app compatibility, touch glitches, weight and price; Apple’s online-store return policy allows exchanges within 14 days if the device is undamaged, while warranty repairs for manufacturing defects may take about a month.
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(UPDATED October 28, 2026 22:02 UTC)
Apple says a screen issue is affecting a small number of iPhone Duo units and is offering replacements through AppleCare, as owners report cracks and stuck pixels around the inner display’s central fold. A teardown technician says the hinge may be pressing against the flexible screen, while a durability-test video captured a hinge part snapping; Apple has not said how many phones have been affected. In South Korea, some buyers are returning even undamaged phones over fears of future failures, along with app-compatibility problems, touch glitches, the phone’s weight, lack of Face ID, and its price.
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(UPDATED October 28, 2026 21:01 UTC)
Apple says a small number of iPhone Duo owners have experienced cracks near the hinge and center fold of the inner screen, and it is offering replacements through AppleCare. Teardown technician Shahram Mokhtari said the hinge support may press against the flexible display, creating a stress point, while a durability tester found a snapped hinge component after the screen broke. Apple says early customer feedback has been positive, but it has not said how many phones are affected; altered images and jokes have also circulated online.
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(UPDATED October 28, 2026 17:14 UTC)
Apple says a small number of iPhone Duo owners have reported cracks and stuck pixels near the inner screen’s center fold, and it’s replacing affected phones through AppleCare. iFixit’s lead teardown technician suspects a hinge support may press against the flexible display, while a durability test captured a screen breaking and later revealed a snapped hinge component. Apple says early feedback has been very positive, but engineers are collecting hinge data; some widely shared damage images were altered or AI-generated.