Apple’s newly launched iPhone Duo is facing complaints of damaged screens, with some early buyers reporting cracks and display failures only hours after using the company’s first foldable smartphone.
Images shared on Reddit appear to show damage concentrated around the hinge of the device’s inner display, with vertical cracks running down the centre and bright lines extending across the right side of the screen.
Some affected devices also reportedly have dead pixels, raising concerns about the durability of the foldable display, which is one of the phone’s biggest selling points.
The complaints come as the iPhone Duo officially goes on sale, following strong pre-order demand that saw initial stocks sell out rapidly and delivery dates for some customers pushed into next year. The Duo's prices in the UAE range from Dh8,499 to Dh13,599, and there are extended shipping times due to overwhelming demand.
Apple has reportedly been providing replacement devices to some affected customers despite limited retail inventory. However, a customer who received a broken Duo in the US said in a post on X that T-Mobile said it couldn’t replace any parts for the Duo until January.
The iPhone maker is also reportedly planning to send damaged units to its engineering teams in California for examination to determine what caused the failures and whether changes are needed in future models.
However, the extent of the problem remains unclear, and it is not known whether reports of broken Duo screens indicate a widespread manufacturing or design defect.
The complaints add to the challenges Apple faces as it enters a foldable smartphone market already occupied by Samsung and Google, both of which have several years' experience developing devices with flexible displays.
