Cracks in the folding screen: Apple issues store guidance for the iPhone Duo, Samsung pokes fun
Apple speaks of a small number of affected units and replaces them, while iFixit points to the hinge as the cause.
This week Apple sent its stores and authorised service providers an internal memo about cracks in the inner display of the iPhone Duo, the first foldable iPhone. Technicians are to inspect a device with complaints and repair or replace it according to standard procedures, reports MacRumors, which has seen the memo. The fact that Apple drew up separate guidance suggests the problem occurs often enough, according to the site. Shortly after deliveries began a week ago, early buyers reported lines down the middle and the right side of the screen.
On Monday Apple publicly acknowledged that a small number of units are affected, CNBC and MacRumors among others reported. Anyone with problems can get a replacement through AppleCare. According to Apple, the defect appears soon after the device is first used and there is no recall. Repair site iFixit uncovered a possible cause in its teardown, Engadget writes: in a simulation, a support bar in the hinge did not drop far enough, so the folding screen came down on a pressure point. In addition, fine dust can get into the hinge mechanism despite the device's dust resistance. iFixit gave the Duo a provisional repairability score of 5 out of 10.
Rival Samsung, which has been selling foldable smartphones since 2019, is eagerly cashing in. Its Canadian Instagram account ran a campaign showing a bright streak where Duo screens have failed, MacRumors reports. For now the defect seems to do little to demand: online orders are sold out until January. According to Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, around 80 percent of the initial stock went to Apple's stores.