Overview
- The iPhone Duo, which went on sale Oct. 23, has produced multiple reports of inner displays cracking down the middle near the hinge just hours or days after purchase.
- Apple told customers it is aware the issue affects a “small number” of units and is directing affected owners to contact AppleCare for replacements while in‑store swap availability varies.
- Repair analysts at iFixit used teardowns and CT scans to identify a small hinge support bar that might press on the layered inner panel when folded, but that explanation remains a theory.
- An unconfirmed report quoting an unnamed Foxconn employee says quality inspections were loosened to boost output, and Apple has not confirmed that claim or announced a recall.
- The problem raises immediate consumer and commercial risks because some owners are returning devices, out‑of‑warranty inner‑panel repairs cost about $999 in the US, and rivals have used the reports in marketing while investigations and replacement logistics continue.