The iPhone Duo is here and, after an unglamorous pre-order window where stock was cleared out in seconds and shipping dates slipped into next year, the long-awaited Apple foldable is in stores. However, there’s a problem.
iPhone Duo units are breaking at a larger scale than anticipated, leaving customers with phones that need to be replaced from a pile of rapidly dwindling inventory. All I can think to say right now is, I called it. Also, you should probably grab some protection if you've got one.
iPhone Duo Defender Series Pro XT case
$89
99
Looking for the ultimate protection for your iPhone Duo? OtterBox's Defender Series Pro XT series case may be the one for you. Right now, you can get the heavy-duty accessory at a great price, ensuring maximum protection for your device.
If you're after a sleek case that complements your iPhone Duo perfectly without adding unnecessary bulk? The OtterBox Lumen Series case may be ideal for you. It comes in multiple color variants and now costs just $49.99, making it a great pick for many.
The first cracked iPhone Duo that went viral yesterday. | Image by Reddit
The iPhone Duohas what appears to be a design flaw that seems to have passed Apple by. For some day one buyers, the iPhone Duo cracks right down the middle after a few hours of use.
The internal display, the larger screen that folds and unfolds, cracks vertically across the center under which the hinge lies. This results in dead pixels and lines running across the display. Oh, and a broken $2,000 purchase.
This iPhone Duo allegedly broke after two hours of normal use. | Image by Reddit
Thankfully, for now, the customers who have run into this problem have been able to secure replacement units. Despite the very limited stock available in stores, Apple managed to secure enough backup phones for scenarios like this.
In addition, Apple will reportedly do what it has done in the past for first-generation products and have these broken models shipped to California where the design and engineering teams will study them. Apple needs to understand what just happened so that it can avoid this design flaw for future iPhone Duo models.
Recommended For You
I told you so!
Another iPhone Duo that broke in the same place. | Image by Reddit
For months now, I’ve been saying that you should probably avoid the iPhone Duo. It is, after all, a first-generation product, and first-generation products are prone to various problems.
Yes, foldable phones are fragile and can break if not cared for properly, but Google and Samsung foldables don’t break at the same rate as the iPhone Duo is breaking because those two companies have experience. The Galaxy Z Fold 8, for example, has been a stellar success.
On the other hand, the Galaxy Z TriFold ran into problems because it was Samsung’s first tri-fold phone. The iPhone 17 Pro, which was a major redesign after years of the iPhone looking the same, also ran into problems with cellular reception and chassis damage.
The iPhone Duo cracking is a recurring pattern. | Image by Reddit
It was expected that the iPhone Duo was going to have some problems. There is the matter of how apps run on it at the moment, for example, which is not a pleasant sight. That, however, can be fixed soon enough via updates to said apps.
What is the iPhone Duo's biggest problem right now?
0 Votes
But the iPhone Duo units now in the hands of so many excited people potentially all carry the same defect that has made these showcased Duos crack right down the bit that makes them special.
Alright, Apple. Time to hold you accountable
Apple was confident in the iPhone Duo's engineering. | Image by Reddit
Before the launch of the iPhone Duo, Tom Marieb — Apple’s new Vice President of Hardware Engineering, replacing John Ternus who is now CEO — said that the crease on the Duo was different to how rival foldables did it.
Marieb was very confident and said that Apple’s customer base should hold the company accountable if the crease runs into any problems. The iPhone Duo, according to CEO John Ternus, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Greg “Joz” Joswiak, and Tom Marieb is unlike any foldable on the market today.
However, it has cracked just like any of its other rival foldables might. So, is it time to hold Apple accountable?
Always the same spot, something Apple needs to look into as soon as possible. | Image by Reddit
I know that most iPhone Duo units will probably (hopefully) be fine. However, the number of phones that have cracked is higher than Apple would have liked it to be. If this becomes a more widespread problem, the company won’t be able to offer replacements for months.
If you’ve bought an iPhone Duo, I really hope that it continues running perfectly. However, if it does break, all I can say is “I told you so!”
And please don’t become one those Apple fans who’s going around saying these images are fake or generated by AI. All of the iPhone Duo units are breaking in the same spot and more reports are coming out of China because the phone went on sale there earlier than the American market.
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.
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts:
New accounts created within the last 24 hours may experience restrictions on how frequently they can
post or comment.
These limits are in place as a precaution and will automatically lift.
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
Things that are NOT allowed:
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts: