After years of faffing around with a late-arriving product, Apple’s new folding iPhone Duo has arrived, and owners are already reporting cracks soon after they take it out of the box.
According to HotHardware, complaints appeared across social media after the foldable handset reached buyers on 23 October. Some customers reportedly couldn’t get a full day’s use out of their expensive purchase.
Reddit user u/Midnight_Slump reported that their display cracked after just six hours and posted a photo of the damaged screen. Jobs’ Mob has apparently given at least one early adopter a remarkably efficient route from unboxing excitement to customer support.
The reports do not establish how widespread the problem is. HotHardware points to separate durability testing that produced more encouraging results, but heaven forbid the tame Apple Press might suggest their results don’t match what is being seen on the ground. A newspaper that has already sacrificed its reputation to give its favourite company a free advert is unlikely to give it a dodgy review, no matter how accurate it is.
A successful endurance test offers limited comfort to someone whose own handset has already developed a crack. Equally, individual failures cannot establish the reliability of the entire production run.
The Reddit user reportedly resolved the issue by visiting an Apple Store after finding the remote replacement process less straightforward.
According to their account, an express replacement required a payment-card hold covering the full cost of the phone. Support could not provide a confirmed shipping date. Apparently, the express option mainly reserved the customer’s money.
HotHardware recommends an in-person store visit for owners experiencing similar failures, based on that customer’s experience. Replacement availability will depend on what the store can provide.
Developers are already adapting applications for the foldable handset, while accessory manufacturers have products ready for its arrival. For affected buyers, getting a working display will take priority.
The report provides no confirmed cause for the cracks or reliable failure-rate figures. Establishing whether the complaints reflect isolated faulty units or a broader production problem will require more evidence from the launch batch.
