Apple’s first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, is facing early durability concerns after users reported cracked inner displays around the hinge just hours after its launch.
Images shared on Reddit, MacRumors forums and other social media platforms show damage concentrated along the screen’s folding area, with some affected devices displaying a bright white line of pixels.
One Australian owner said the phone’s screen cracked after about six hours of ownership and fewer than 20 openings.
According to the user’s Reddit post, the incident occurred while opening the device to show a friend. The owner reportedly felt something beneath the screen near the hinge before hearing a crack as the display broke.
The user said there were no visible marks on the screen or external hinge to indicate that a foreign object had become trapped or that the phone had suffered external damage.
Apple replaces damaged device
The owner said Apple initially offered an express replacement but required a hold for the phone’s full purchase price and could not provide a definite delivery date.
The customer subsequently visited a nearby Apple Store, where staff apologised and replaced the damaged device immediately.
Although satisfied with Apple’s response, the owner expressed disappointment at having to visit a store on the phone’s launch evening to resolve the problem.
Reddit moderators marked the report as verified after reviewing additional photographs and Apple documentation. However, they clarified that the verification confirmed the damaged device and its replacement, not the cause of the failure.
Similar reports emerge
Other images of damaged iPhone Duo displays have circulated online, including reports involving demonstration units in China.
Technology commentator @flyosity said on X that they had seen seven photographs showing similar damage, alongside multiple videos on TikTok.
The reports appear to point to a recurring pattern around the hinge, although social media posts alone cannot establish how widespread the problem is among devices sold.
MacRumors also reported that some reviewers had conducted repeated folding tests without encountering display failures. However, those tests involved only a limited number of devices.
Cause remains unknown
The concentration of damage around the hinge has fuelled speculation that an internal component could be exerting pressure on the display. However, this theory has not been confirmed.
Available photographs and user accounts do not establish whether the failures result from a manufacturing defect, a design flaw, accidental damage or another cause. It is also unclear whether the reports involve a particular production batch or a wider range of devices.
Apple had not publicly confirmed the cause of the reported failures in the sources reviewed by Gulf News as of October 25, 2026.
Further investigation and additional verified cases will be needed to determine whether the incidents indicate a broader reliability problem with the company’s first foldable smartphone.