iPhone Duo screens crack along hinge within hours of launch

Apple's first foldable phone is facing early durability concerns after owners shared images of damaged inner displays on Reddit and the MacRumors forums.

Photos show damage concentrated around the hinge, with some affected screens displaying a bright line of white pixels. The cause remains unclear, and the reports do not establish how widespread the problem is.

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One Australian owner said the display cracked after about six hours of ownership and fewer than 20 openings. In a Reddit post, the user said they felt something beneath the screen near the internal hinge while opening the device to show a friend, then heard a crack as the display broke along the hinge.

The owner said there were no visible marks on the inner screen or external hinge to suggest that anything had become trapped or that the phone had suffered external damage.

Apple replaces damaged iPhone Duo

Apple initially offered an express replacement, the owner said, but required a hold for the phone's full cost and could not provide a firm delivery estimate.

The customer instead visited a nearby Apple Store, where staff apologised and replaced the damaged device with a new one on the spot.

The owner said they were satisfied with Apple's handling of the problem but disappointed at having to visit a store on the evening of the phone's launch.

Reddit moderators marked the report as verified after reviewing additional photographs and Apple documentation. They clarified that the verification covered the damaged phone and its replacement, not the cause of the screen failure.

Similar damage reported in other markets

Images of damaged iPhone Duo displays have also circulated on social media, including reports involving demonstration units in China.

Technology commentator @flyosity said in a post on X that they had seen seven photographs of the same issue on the platform, along with multiple videos on TikTok.

The images appear to show similar damage near the hinge, but social media posts do not establish how frequently the failures are occurring among devices sold.

MacRumors also reported that some reviewers had subjected the phone to repeated folding tests without encountering display problems. Those tests involved a limited number of devices.

Cause of screen cracks remains unclear

The similar location of the damage has prompted speculation that a component inside the hinge could be putting pressure on the display. That theory remains unconfirmed.

The available photographs and user accounts do not establish whether the failures stem from a manufacturing defect, a design issue, accidental damage or another cause. They also do not show whether the problem affects a particular production batch or a broader range of devices.

Apple has not publicly confirmed a cause for the reported failures in the sources reviewed. More verified cases and further investigation would be needed to establish whether the reports point to a wider reliability problem.