Apple has acknowledged screen problems affecting a small number of its newly launched iPhone Duo foldable smartphones, offering replacements to affected customers just days after the device went on sale.
The company said it was aware of “an issue impacting the inner display on a small number” of handsets and urged customers experiencing problems to contact Apple for assistance.
Priced from £1,999 ($2,668) in the UK, the iPhone Duo is Apple’s first foldable smartphone and one of its most expensive devices to date. Reports of faulty screens have raised early questions about the durability of the company’s long-awaited entry into the foldable phone market.
Images shared on social media appear to show display lines running across the inner screens of some iPhone Duo devices. Other owners have reported cracks developing along the central crease or unusual crunching noises when opening the handset.
One user, Justin Lokos, posted a photograph showing lines across the right side of his device’s display. He later shared an image of a replacement handset beside the damaged phone, thanking an Apple Store in New York for its assistance.
However, the scale of the problem remains uncertain. Apple has not disclosed how many devices have been affected, and some of the images circulating online may have been generated using artificial intelligence.
Francisco Jeronimo, a technology analyst at research firm IDC, said the reports should be treated cautiously until more information becomes available.
Nevertheless, he noted that the early complaints demonstrate the technical challenges involved in developing foldable devices, even for a company with Apple’s engineering expertise and supply-chain resources.
The iPhone Duo features a 7.6-inch (19.3cm) inner display connected by a central hinge. This mechanism allows the device to open from a wider, phone-sized handset into a compact tablet-like screen.
The design introduces engineering challenges that have affected other manufacturers’ foldable phones. Samsung encountered similar problems in 2019, when reviewers reported broken screens on its first Galaxy Fold devices.
Apple spent years developing its foldable technology before introducing the Duo, which represents the company’s first major iPhone redesign in nearly two decades.
The handset starts at £1,999, with the highest-specification models costing as much as £3,199.
The early reports could pose a challenge for Apple as it seeks to establish the Duo as a premium alternative to existing foldable smartphones.
Jeronimo said the company’s response to the first-generation device’s problems could influence consumer confidence in foldable phones beyond Apple’s own sales.
Apple’s extensive retail network and established customer base could help it manage replacements, but the analyst said the company needed to communicate its warranty arrangements clearly, particularly as the phone prepares to launch in another 28 markets on 30 October.
The company has not publicly stated how widespread the defect is or provided a detailed explanation of its cause.
The iPhone Duo was unveiled by Apple’s new chief executive, John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook in September.
The device is a significant launch for the company as it seeks to expand the iPhone’s design beyond the conventional smartphone format.
When closed, the Duo resembles a wider iPhone. Opening it reveals a larger display intended to offer an experience closer to using a small tablet.
At the product’s unveiling, Ternus argued that earlier foldable phones could feel like two handsets awkwardly joined together. He said Apple’s design aimed to redefine how people use foldable devices.
Whether the Duo can fulfil that ambition may depend not only on its features, but also on how reliably its screen and hinge perform over time.
For now, Apple’s replacement offer provides an immediate remedy for affected owners. The longer-term test will be whether the company can resolve the reported issues and reassure customers as the foldable iPhone reaches more markets.
