Last week, news about the soft iPhone Duo screen started to pile up. I reported the findings and advised people to get AppleCare Plus, as the screen replacement was listed at $999 for the iPhone Duo without Apple's extended warranty program. That news turned into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The soft iPhone Duo screen
The iPhone Duo's display is extremely soft around the crease. | Image by Weibo
Initially, early iPhone Duo owners and reviewers noted that the screen was much softer around the crease. There are videos showing the surface wrinkle under a finger, and it raised some eyebrows, to say the least.
Long story short, the screen is thinner and more flexible in that particular area to hide the crease and make the screen flatter when the iPhone Duo is unfolded. Fast forward to what appears to be the next big scandal in the smartphone scene.
The iPhone Duo "Crack-gate"
The screen of the iPhone Duo is failing left and right. | Images by Reddit
Whether or not it's a critical design flaw or just a "day-one manufacturing error" on a small batch of devices, the fact of the matter is that it's been less-than-stellar launch for the iPhone Duo.
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The reports are coming from all over the world and show the same streaks of bright and unresponsive pixels on the iPhone Duo's screen.
The common denominator is that all of them start at the crease — that soft spot we were talking about earlier. Even though the failures haven't been linked directly to the softer part of the screen, it's clear that this zone is problematic. During his regular teardowns, Matt from JerryRigEverything suspected parts of the hinge mechanism were cracking the iPhone Duo screen.
No matter what the cause, my advice from the original article stands — get AppleCare Plus!
Would you still buy the iPhone Duo, now that "Crack Gate" is in full swing?
0 Votes
AppleCare Plus is a must
Getting AppleCare Plus is almost mandatory with the iPhone Duo at this point. | Image by Apple
AppleCare Plus might be the single best add-on you can get for the iPhone Duo. Not the official Apple cases, which are pretty disappointing in my opinion, nor even a third-party case, but Apple's extended warranty.
If you ask me, Apple should replace the screen of the Duo "no questions asked" or face some serious backlash. If you've already bought the iPhone Duo (and its screen hasn't cracked yet), there are some precautions you can take to avoid this dreadful scenario.
How to protect your iPhone Duo's screen from cracking
Provided your unit doesn't suffer from a "day-one manufacturing error" or a defective hinge, you can follow some simple guidelines to make sure your iPhone Duo stays safe and operational:
Check for debris — Before closing it, check that nothing is obstructing the area between both halves of the phone — as Matt showed during his teardown, even a single grain of sand or dust could crack the screen.
Treat this phone as if it weren't IP68 rated — This is an extension of point 1 above. Many people might overestimate the iPhone Duo's ability to resist dirt because Apple markets it as an IP68 device. This could result in people getting careless and taking the phone to the beach. Don't do that!
Open and close correctly — Open and close the device from its outer edges, not by pressing your thumbs in the middle or using excessive force — this could feel counterintuitive, as people often close foldables by placing their thumbs on the screen right where the hinge is for leverage.
Don't peel off the nano-texture cover — If your iPhone Duo screen gets scratched or damaged, don't peel off the cover. Let Apple do it — you risk further damaging the screen.
Listen to the hinge — If you suspect something's wrong with the hinge, run to the nearest Apple Store. Hints could be strange squeaking or scratching noises, or the phone not closing smoothly or requiring extra force to close.
Should you buy the iPhone Duo in the first place?
Waiting for batch number 2 could be the wisest choice. | Image by Apple
This poses the big question for people who missed the pre-order window. You might actually be the lucky ones. Waiting for batch number 2 could be the wisest choice, as Apple should have addressed these day-one manufacturing errors by then.
Should you buy the phone at all after all the drama? If you want a foldable iPhone, then the answer is yes. Apple did a great job in many areas with the iPhone Duo, and it will get on top of the screen issue eventually.
Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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