With Apple refusing to go into details about what went wrong, repair experts and media outlets took it upon themselves to trace the cause. Some speculated that the hinge's design was to blame, but apparently faulty engineering wasn't the culprit.
Supplier-side issue
A machine-translated version of Kang's post. | Image by Kang
Weibo leaker Kang claims that there is nothing inherently wrong with the hinge's design. Instead, the issue stems from defective material used by one of the suppliers.
Apple is apparently able to trace the problematic batch using serial numbers. This could allow customers with potentially defective phones to replace their devices proactively rather than waiting for issues to appear.
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Is this it?
This iPhone Duo started acting up within three hours of unboxing. | Image by Reddit user chimchambam
Shortly after release, numerous iPhone Duo owners reported hearing a crunch sound when opening or closing the device, followed by a crack alongside the display crease and a horizontal block of dead white pixels. Many felt a bump beneath the display where the crack originated.
Repair specialists at iFixit concluded internal hinge components were pressing into and damaging the electronics beneath the screen.
The iPhone Duo features a waterdrop hinge with a complex system of gears, springs, and metal joints. Apple designed curved guides to reduce strain during the folding process, but analysts theorized that the folding system didn't work as intended, causing components to press against the display.
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Other reports suggested slight hinge misalignment on select units caused internal parts to push upwards into the screen, breaking it from behind.
Has Apple been vindicated?
Apple reportedly spent a decade working on the foldable iPhone. It was the last mainstream manufacturer to enter the market. Thus, while it was somewhat acceptable for the OG Samsung Galaxy Fold to have hardware failures, the reputational cost is much higher for Apple.
If the root cause is supplier material defect rather than an engineering oversight, Apple can breathe a sigh of relief.
Aside from the affected batch, the iPhone Duo remains a durable device with an IP68 rating. Reports suggest that its hinge is better at protection against dust than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold.
Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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