Early adopters of the first foldable smartphone from Apple are reporting severe hardware problems just days after launch. Several buyers have taken to online forums to share images of a broken inner screen on their new iPhone Duo. The shared photos show a clear and repetitive pattern of display failure, pointing to a physical malfunction inside the internal folding mechanism of the device. People say the damage happens without warning during normal use.
Resistance in the hinge leads to cracking sounds and lines
Owners note that the phone feels unusually stiff when they try to open it. Opening the device requires extra effort to push past the sudden resistance. Once they apply that pressure, they hear a loud popping or cracking noise coming from the hinge area.
Following this noise, permanent vertical and horizontal lines appear across the inner display. The damage looks identical across multiple reports. A vertical line runs straight down the middle of the screen, with a horizontal line stretching out from it across the right half of the folding panel.
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Some people experienced this hardware failure within a few hours of unboxing their iPhone, while others used the phone for a few days before the screen broke. The affected buyers clarify they did not drop or mishandle the device. Many also mention they have owned folding phones before and know how to treat them.
Users seek replacements amid tight stock for high storage models
Customers dealing with the broken screens have contacted customer support or their mobile carriers to find a solution. The manufacturer has agreed to replace the damaged units. Securing a replacement is proving difficult because the phone is currently out of stock in many locations.
Availability is especially low for the larger 1TB and 2TB storage configurations. Buyers are stuck waiting for fresh inventory to arrive before they can swap out their broken hardware. The problem seems isolated to a specific early production batch, since most buyers and reviewers have not encountered the hinge failure.
If you notice stiffness when opening your folding screen, do not force it flat. Contact support immediately to report the hardware defect and start the replacement process before the display breaks.
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