When the iPhone Duo launched and reports of broken units started flooding in, Apple fans were quick to conclude that this was either user error or a very minor batch of defective units. As the reports kept coming in from around the world, to the point where Apple had to acknowledge that the problem existed, people conjectured that this would be fixed pretty soon.
It has not been fixed. If you get an iPhone Duo today, chances are you might end up with yet another “isolated incident” on your hands.
The iPhone Duo is still cracking
If I had an iPhone Duo, I'd always be terrified of opening it. | Image by PhoneArena
Online communities dedicated to the iPhone Duo are still getting daily posts of broken units. One user actually got a replacement and the new Duo broke in the exact same way and in the exact same place within less than 24 hours. This is not the first time that this has happened, either.
Haven't seen this one before, but two in a row means it isn't just an isolated incident. | Image by Reddit
Others who have had an iPhone Duo for a while are also susceptible to falling victim to what some are calling Crackgate. While these reports are adorned on either side by posts of people new to foldable smartphones praising Apple’s foldable iPhone, they are still very much there.
That's a really large portion of the display just dead. | Image by Reddit
As had happened initially, some users still try to claim that this isn’t a widespread problem. This holds especially true if an iPhone Duo doesn’t break exactly where many others have prior. Fortunately, by this point, most people call out these claims on the spot.
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Some Apple fans still try to argue that the iPhone Duo is breaking because of being mishandled. | Image by Reddit
Still, that doesn’t change the fact that real end consumers are being affected by this problem. A phone that starts at $2,000 is so susceptible to damage that some people have actually canceled their orders out of fear.
Another replacement iPhone Duo breaks. | Image by Reddit
Some Apple fans had argued that this problem would be fixed very soon after discovery, that Apple would address the design flaw or defective component for every new batch. That hasn’t happened either, as new units arriving now are still just as likely to break as their day-one counterparts were a little over three weeks ago at launch.
One of the most serious cases yet. | Image by Reddit
If one user is to be believed, the iPhone Duo’s tendency to break is so common that a store in Dallas sees around six broken units every day. This tracks with what one earlier report said about Apple simply not being able to keep up with repairs and replacements because there were just too many broken iPhone Duos coming in daily.
If this is true, then Apple is seriously downplaying the severity of the iPhone Duo's defect. | Image by Reddit
Despite all of this, however, the iPhone Duo is selling remarkably well. Apple fans are eager to give the foldable a go, even if they might end up with a defective unit that becomes unusable until Apple repairs or replaces it. And even then, there’s a chance that the company might claim that it was user error and not offer a new display or a new phone, as has happened before.
Poll
2 Votes
Are you still buying an iPhone Duo?
Is this Apple’s fault?
Is this entirely Apple's fault? | Image by Reddit
One recent report alleged that the iPhone Duo problem wasn’t Apple’s fault. Instead, a supplier has been providing defective components, which is why so many units are susceptible to cracking.
If this is the case, Apple might actually be able to identify units from problematic batches by their serial number. However, even if that is true and possible, there is no guarantee that the company will proactively offer replacements to users with defective phones from said problematic batches.
Not the company’s only first-generation problem this year
The new PROLED MacBook Pros also have a display design problem. | Image by Apple
On the other hand, the new PROLED MacBook Pro models have a problem with their displays too. Apple has opted for ridiculously low-frequency PWM dimming that is giving some users headaches, nausea, and eye strain.
I know that I’ve said countless times before to stay away from first-generation products, but even I couldn’t imagine that it would be this bad this year. Hopefully, if you were thinking of getting either an iPhone Duo or a new MacBook Pro, you’ll now wait at least until their successors are announced next year.
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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