Apple acknowledged that some iPhone Duo handsets developed screen problems days after the £1,999 foldable smartphone launched. The company said it was aware of "an issue impacting the inner display on a small number" of phones and urged affected users to contact Apple for replacement.
Social media posts showed lines appearing on the screens and cracks along the central crease of the device. Some owners also reported a crunching noise when opening the handset. One user, Justin Lokos, posted images of a faulty device and later shared a photo of a replacement handset provided by an Apple store in New York.
Apple did not disclose how many devices were affected. Francisco Jeronimo, technology analyst at IDC, cautioned that some images showing faulty devices may have been created using artificial intelligence, meaning care was needed before assessing the scale of the problem across the entire production run.
Jeronimo noted the early reports revealed that "even a company with Apple's engineering resources and supply chain discipline faces a steep learning curve in foldables". The Duo's 7.6-inch inner display sits behind a central hinge, complex engineering that has produced similar defects in foldable phones from Apple's competitors. Samsung's Galaxy Fold encountered broken screens when reviewed in 2019.
The Duo, Apple's first foldable iPhone, costs up to £3,199 for the highest-specification models. It marks the company's most significant iPhone redesign in nearly two decades. Chief Executive John Ternus, who took over in September, unveiled the device and said it would "redefine the experience of using a foldable phone".
Jeronimo said Apple's approach to the issue matters beyond its own sales. "Apple has a loyal customer base and a retail network that can swap devices on the spot, but with a further 28 markets launching on 30 October, it needs to clarify its warranty position quickly," he said. Because Apple positioned the Duo as a "premium alternative" to existing foldables, how it handles this first-generation problem will influence buyer confidence in the category.