The iPhone Duo launched last week as Apple’s first foldable phone, priced at $2,000, but some early buyers are already experiencing hardware failures. Despite Apple’s claims regarding its precision-engineered hinge, certain devices are suffering internal display damage within hours or minutes of being used.
Display Damage And Replacement Costs
Social media and online forums are filling up with photographs of broken iPhone Duos showing nearly identical defects. The OLED panels feature bright lines stemming from just below the midpoint of the screen and stretching toward the bottom and right edges. Additional units display dead pixel lines along the crease, running from the top down to the starting point of the bright lines.
This kind of defect occurs when display layers suffer damage, causing pixels to lose correct voltage regulation. As a result, affected pixels receive full driving voltage and remain permanently lit at maximum brightness, while others receive no voltage and turn completely black. Replacing the damaged OLED panel requires a screen swap, which reportedly costs half the price of the entire device.
Most broken devices are failing within roughly a day of use, though a small group of buyers experienced failures after opening and closing the phone only a few times, sometimes before finishing the initial device setup. Customers have managed to get replacements by visiting Apple retail stores, although replacement parts might currently be in limited supply.
Investigation Into the Hardware Flaw
While Apple has not yet provided an official explanation for the hardware issue, iFixit has already disassembled an iPhone Duo to examine the damaged area. Foldable devices require cables to route data and power across the hinge, creating a risk that internal wiring could press against the screen. The iPhone Duo features a wide cable designed with accordion-like pleats, though this structure does not entirely align with the specific damage patterns reported by users.
