Overview
- Apple confirmed that a small number of iPhone Duo units have damaged inner displays and has told users to contact AppleCare for replacements.
- The Duo began shipping and went on sale on Oct. 23, and within days owners posted photos and videos showing cracks, bright lines and audible 'pops' near the central hinge.
- Some customers received immediate in‑store swaps at Apple Stores, but limited spare parts and early low production yields mean many replacements and repairs may be delayed.
- A hinge‑component supplier, Fine M‑Tec, issued a public denial that its parts caused the failures, and teardown and durability tests have pointed attention to hinge‑area stress as a likely focus of the investigation.
- Repair costs are high without AppleCare+ — about $999 in the U.S. for the inner display — and early returns and usability complaints are raising reputational and market risks for Apple's first foldable.