The iPhone Duo launch has not gone smoothly, I think it’s safe to say. Apple fans around the world are reporting in with their new iPhone Duos that have cracked and broken right down the middle of the internal display.
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This, following the pre-order fiasco that followed earlier where scalpers cleared out inventory in seconds, has made this one of the most troublesome Apple launches in years. Question is, where does Apple go next?
More iPhone Duo units break after mere hours
This iPhone Duo cracked in less than a day. | Images by Reddit
The iPhone Duo launched earlier in China, so most initial reports of cracked units came from there. As the Duo became available today in the Western Hemisphere, reports have started coming in from there as well.
This iPhone Duo broke before setup even finished. | Image by Reddit
It’s become pretty apparent that the iPhone Duo has a critical design flaw in its hinge. The failure rate appears to be much higher than other passport-style foldable phones like the Galaxy Z Fold 8, the Xiaomi 18 Fold, or the Huawei Pura X Max.
What is the iPhone Duo's biggest problem right now?
535 Votes
Some users now want to cancel their orders
When the first couple of reports came in, Apple fans were joking that everyone should cancel their orders immediately so that their own delivery date could be moved up. That joke has now evolved into a real thing as some people are canceling their orders or asking online whether they should.
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Some Apple users are wondering if they should still get the iPhone Duo. | Image by Reddit
Initially, some Apple customers blamed the broken iPhone Duos on user error, insisting that the phones must have been dropped or had their protective nano-texture layer removed. As more and more reports kept coming in, others began to make fun of the people who were still trying to deny that there was something very wrong here. Some moderators on online forums, meanwhile, are deleting posts and comments to hide the flaw.
You have to admit, they have a point. | Image by Reddit
Others still are now making jokes about the iPhone Duo’s affinity to randomly break. The first broken iPhone Duo that went viral was replaced with the only similar model in stock at an Apple store. At this rate, users are likely looking at months of waiting for replacements now.
A critical design flaw
Can we give it a name yet? Some people are calling this Crackgate because Foldgate already happened. | Image by Reddit
Interestingly, a durability test by our favorite Zack — JerryRigEverything on YouTube — broke the iPhone Duo around the same place. This clearly indicates that there is a critical design flaw in the iPhone Duo’s hinge mechanism, in my opinion. The iPhone Duo lost to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 in other aspects during the durability test as well.
A durability test broke the iPhone Duo in the same place as all of the other broken units. | Image by JerryRigEverything
Before launch, reports had claimed that Apple had been rejecting around 40 percent of assembled iPhone Duo units because of manufacturing defects, which is one reason for the low stock available now.
When the first reports came in, people assumed that these were some units that had barely passed inspection but didn’t stand up to normal everyday use. Clearly, that is not the case.
A broken iPhone Duo demo unit. | Image by Reddit
The mood over at online forums dedicated to Apple or the iPhone Duo specifically is now a mix of elation at having gotten a Duo on launch day or disappointment at a broken phone. Given that the iPhone Duo starts at $1,999, I can only imagine how disheartening it must be to see that crack running down your new iPhone Duo.
It's also no surprise that people are now hyper sensitive about the smallest of things that might hint at their iPhone Duo about to break. Remember when reports revealed that early iPhone Duo prototypes were making creaking noises when being folded and unfolded?
Apparently that's happening now with some units. Unconfirmed accounts allege that the iPhone Duo units that have broken were making this sound before cracking.
A less-than-stellar launch for Apple
Another brand new iPhone Duo that broke. Thankfully, this one was replaced instantaneously. | Image by Reddit
Apple was, rightfully in my opinion, severely criticized for what it let happen during the pre-order window. But that, to me, seems like nothing compared to what’s happening now.
The company waited years to release a foldable iPhone. These are not the optics Apple had been hoping for. Not only does the iPhone Duo still have a visible crease that gets worse than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 after a few folds, but the number of Duos that are breaking after a few hours of use is too high.
This iPhone Duo broke in the same place on a livestream after a drop. | Image by Lacy
Launch day has turned from an exciting time for Apple’s customer base to worry over whether the Duo is a worthwhile purchase or not. I’ll say this, if you’re still getting an iPhone Duo, make sure to get AppleCare+ just in case.
Abdullah loves smartphones, Virtual Reality, and audio gear. Though he covers a wide range of news his favorite is always when he gets to talk about the newest VR venture or when Apple sets the industry ablaze with another phenomenal release.
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