iPhone Duo screens crack near hinge, Apple confirms issue

The iPhone Duo officially went on sale last week at a price of $2,000. Shortly after launch, reports emerged that some early units arrived with broken screens. The breakage occurs at a similar spot on all affected units, specifically along the inner hinge. Affected screens display a strange bright line or lines across the right side of the display. Damaged OLED panels on these units show bright lines originating just below the midpoint of the display. Most affected devices are failing within about a day of use, with some hardware flaws destroying the internal display within hours or minutes of use.

A YouTuber named CuriousHagi reproduced the cracked screen issue during durability testing of the iPhone Duo. The YouTuber found that a thinner link in the middle of the phone's hinge snapped at a small notch where it is weakest. Some users reported hearing a loud crunching noise followed by the appearance of a crack. Swapping the iPhone Duo's screen reportedly costs half as much as the device itself. An Apple Store replaced a broken iPhone Duo with a brand-new one on the spot for an Australian customer.

Apple acknowledged an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units in a statement to Bloomberg and 9to5Mac. Apple stated that most units are not susceptible to the display issues. The company stated that users experiencing display issues should contact AppleCare for a replacement. Apple's Alex Kirschner shared the company's statement regarding the issue with The Verge. Apple did not immediately reply to a request for comment regarding the broken screens. Bloomberg reported that early Duo users have been complaining about screens cracking after just hours or days of use.