iPhone Duo quality controversy refuses to die ... Four in 10 say they’ve “given up on buying it” [Daily IT Item]

[Financial News] Apple Inc.’s first foldable smartphone, the “iPhone Duo,” has been embroiled in controversy over screen damage early in its launch, and concerns about its durability appear to have affected consumers’ willingness to buy it as well. In a poll by an overseas IT outlet, nearly four in 10 respondents said reports of early damage had undermined their confidence in the product.
According to industry sources on the 6th, in an online survey conducted by IT outlet Android Authority, 37.22% of 2,093 respondents said they had abandoned plans to buy the product because reports of early screen damage had lowered their confidence in it. Another 29.5% said they had never planned to buy it, while 12.8% said they expected the problem to be fixed in the next-generation product. The survey was conducted through voluntary participation by readers on the outlet’s website.
Soon after the iPhone Duo’s release, users began posting accounts on online forums and social media of cracks appearing on the inner screen or black lines and bands of color showing up. Some claimed that damage occurred about six hours after they received the product, before they had even unfolded the screen 20 times. Repair specialist iFixit also raised the possibility that the hinge’s central support structure had put pressure on the screen.
The cost of repairing the Duo’s screen is seen as a factor adding to concerns. The iPhone Duo’s starting price in South Korea is 3.29 million won for the 256GB model. The cost of repairing the inner screen in the United States without warranty coverage has been reported at $999, while Apple Inc.’s estimated repair cost in South Korea is 1.649 million won. Some are calling for clear guidance on the causes of damage and the criteria for warranty coverage and replacement, given the product’s high price.
Apple Inc. said it was aware that some units had developed inner-display problems and advised affected users about replacements. However, it did not disclose the cause of the problems, the number of affected units, or plans for future improvements.
There have also been customer accounts of replacement procedures not going smoothly as repair requests increase. Foreign outlets, including PhoneArena, reported that on the 3rd, an iPhone Duo buyer asked Apple Inc.’s support team for an express replacement but was told that the service would be difficult to provide because of the high volume of repair requests.
The iPhone Duo faced supply shortages during the preorder period, with estimated delivery dates from the official online store pushed back as far as January of next year. Recently, however, some have said same-day pickup has become available at certain Apple Inc. stores and that delivery wait times at major online retailers have shortened. Industry observers have also suggested that canceled units may have been reassigned as requests to cancel preorders increased following the quality controversy. 


[email protected] Yun Hong-jip Reporter