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Just hours after the launch, the first photos of damaged iPhone Duos surfaced. The damage is strikingly often located in the same spot, along the hinge. It's not yet clear how widespread the problem is – most of the pictures are from demo units.
The iPhone Duo has been available since October 23rd, including in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. On the same day, an owner in Australia posted photos of his cracked internal display on Reddit. Another post shows several damaged demo units from China, where the device was released a few hours before it was available in the US.
All data about the device, including Apple's specifications for the display, can be found on the facts page for the iPhone Duo.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Early owners and photos of demo units show cracked internal displays of the iPhone Duo.
- The damage is almost always located along the hinge, often with a line of bright pixels on one half of the display.
- An owner from Australia had his device replaced immediately at the Apple Store.
- It is unclear how many devices are affected. It is also unclear how the demonstration units were treated.
- In Germany, a device purchased from Apple can be returned within 14 days of delivery.
What the reports show
The owner from Australia writes that he had the iPhone Duo for about six hours and probably opened it less than 20 times. Upon opening it, he felt something in the area of the inner hinge and then heard a cracking sound. There were no marks on the inner display or the outer hinge beforehand.
The images of the demo units from China show a similar pattern: the damage is located along the fold line, often with a line of bright pixels across half of the display. What happened to these devices in the store is not clear from the photos. Demo units are opened by many people every day, and improper handling cannot be ruled out.
Exchange at the Apple Store
The owner from Australia had his device replaced directly at the Apple Store. Such a problem had not been detected in pre-launch testing. A continuous test with a folding robot had the iPhone Duo folded and unfolded over 32,000 times without any damage to the display. However, the test was conducted with a single device, with a case, and without being fully folded.
What buyers in this country can do
Anyone who purchased their iPhone Duo from Apple can return it within 14 calendar days of delivery, according to Apple's return policy. This is in addition to the rights consumers already have for defective products. These include the two-year statutory warranty against the seller, which runs alongside Apple's one-year manufacturer's warranty.
A defect caused by a faulty hinge is covered under warranty. However, it becomes expensive if Apple classifies a breakage as external damage: According to Apple's price list, the inner display alone costs €1,149; the remaining items are listed in the repair cost overview. Therefore, with new devices, it is advisable to immediately document any unusual features when opening the device, such as a noticeable catch or unusual noises from the hinge.
Why I don't yet consider these cases to be a widespread problem
I consider the reports to be serious, but not yet proof of a widespread defect. So far, we are dealing with a single privately owned device compared to a number of demo units whose history is unknown. With a device shipped in large quantities, some failures are to be expected in the first few days.
The same spot is noticeable in all the images. Whether this is due to a manufacturing defect in individual batches or a fundamental design flaw will only become clear once more devices are folded in everyday use. I expect the number of reports in the next two weeks to be decisive, as that's when the first wave of buyers will start using their devices extensively. Further articles about the foldable iPhone can be found on the iPhone Duo topic page.
Did you get your iPhone Duo today – and did you notice any catching or cracking sounds at the hinge when opening it? Tell us in the comments how your device feels after the first day.
