While Apple’s first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, has been thrown open for sale, the tech giant has acknowledged display problems affecting a small number of the new device, stating that it will replace the faulty units.
The company began shipping the iPhone Duo last week, attracting customers worldwide as limited stocks sold out within minutes of initial online orders opening.
However, just like the ultra-quick sale, complaints poured in at a rapid pace as well, with reports talking about customers discovering cracks and lines on the inner display near the central hinge.
The issue ended up raising questions about the durability of Apple’s first foldable iPhone.
Analysts have warned that Apple could face supply constraints because the iPhone Duo, which unfolds like a passport booklet, is complex to manufacture.
Social media posts over the last weekend showed damage along the central hinge, where the display folds.
Apple acknowledged the reports on Monday, saying affected devices tended to develop problems quickly.
“We are aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units,” Apple said in a statement.
“If users experience issues with their iPhone Duo display, they should contact AppleCare for a replacement,” it added further.
Through iPhone Duo, Apple is trying to establish its presence in the foldable smartphone market, where manufacturers often face the challenge of balancing slim designs with the mechanical demands of repeatedly folding a screen.
Repair specialist iFixit investigated the reported damage using teardown footage, patents, and computed tomography (CT) scans to construct a 3D simulation of the iPhone Duo’s hinge mechanism.
The company said its simulations showed that the reported damage clustered just below the point where a display cable runs beneath the screen, near a central support bar.
According to iFixit, the support bar might not move out of the display’s way as the device folds, potentially creating a concentrated stress point near the reported break location.
The repair specialist also concluded that the iPhone Duo was the most repairable foldable phone it had tested.
Francisco Jeronimo, a vice president at market research firm IDC, described Apple’s replacement offer as the “right first step” in addressing the problem.
He pointed to Samsung’s experience with its original Galaxy Fold in 2019, when early device problems raised concerns about the emerging category.
“A quick and transparent response could help limit the damage to consumer confidence,” Jeronimo told Reuters.
The display issues come as Apple’s latest smartphone lineup records uneven sales across major markets.
Talking about the sales of the latest iPhones, the iPhone 18 Pro series saw 3.1% higher popularity among customers during the first three weeks after launch compared with the debut of the iPhone 17 Pro series over the equivalent period a year earlier, stated Counterpoint Research.
China delivered the strongest performance, with sales rising 29% year-on-year. Counterpoint attributed the increase partly to better initial availability of the new models and price increases for competing flagship Android smartphones from Chinese manufacturers.
“Outside China, sales growth would have been considerably weaker,” the research firm said.
Sales in the United States declined by 4% year on year, while Japan recorded a 27% drop.
Counterpoint said US consumers saw few meaningful improvements in features or design to justify the higher prices. In Japan, exchange-rate movements amplified price increases and weighed on demand.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max accounted for 56% of sales across the series, down slightly from 57% a year earlier.
Image Courtesy: Apple