iPhone Duo faces screen-damage controversy, with hinge durability also under scrutiny

[Financial News] Apple’s first foldable smartphone, the “iPhone Duo,” has faced durability concerns shortly after launch. A growing number of users have claimed that the inner screen broke just hours after purchase.
A prominent tech YouTuber’s durability test also raised concerns about the hinge and display.
On the 25th, according to industry sources and foreign media, The Verge, a U.S. tech publication, reported cases of iPhone Duo buyers experiencing damage to the inner display. Some users claimed that cracks had appeared around the hinge where the screen folds, or that abnormal lines had appeared on the display.
One user in Australia said the inner screen broke about six hours after purchasing the device. The user said they had unfolded it fewer than 20 times, but heard a cracking sound and felt as if something had caught inside the hinge while opening the screen. There were no obvious signs of impact on the exterior, and the user later said they had exchanged it for a new device at an Apple Store.
Similar cases were also shared on the overseas online community Reddit. Some users posted photos showing cracks around the hinge or bright lines on the inner screen. However, it has not been confirmed whether the individual cases had the same cause or were related to a design flaw.
Problems also emerged in a durability test published on the 23rd by prominent tech YouTuber JerryRigEverything. After the device was exposed to dust and sand, particles entered the hinge as it was folded and unfolded, and the device subsequently failed to close completely. The particles left around the hinge were also thought to have affected the magnets’ ability to keep the device closed.
The inner display was damaged in a test in which the device was bent in the opposite direction. When force was applied to the unfolded device against its normal folding direction, a green line appeared on the screen. Repeated bending caused the line to grow, and eventually the screen and touch functions stopped working properly. The outer frame was not damaged, but the inner display became difficult to use.
The YouTuber said they had not encountered this kind of damage in the Samsung Electronics Galaxy Z Fold series they had tested so far. They also pointed out that Samsung Electronics offers free screen protector replacement for the first 12 months on some products, while Apple charges $49.

[email protected] Yoon Hong-jip Reporter