Nearly $2,000 Foldable iPhone Cracks in Hours for Some Owners
Customers report hinge failures on the new iPhone Duo days after launch, prompting Apple to acknowledge a display defect affecting a small number of units.
By Carlos Rousseau ·
Jesse Dalton heard a loud pop while opening his new iPhone Duo for the first time. The screen cracked down the middle near the hinge. Dalton bought the device on Oct. 23, the day it went on sale. He had just attached a protective case when the mechanism became tight about halfway up the fold. He pushed past the resistance, assuming the case was stuck. The display snapped.
"I didn't even make it through setup," Dalton said. He lives near Frisco, Texas. He paid roughly $800 for the 512-gigabyte model after applying an AT&T trade-in promotion. The full retail price was around $2,200. A local Apple Store had a replacement unit in stock. Dalton was in and out of the store in about 30 minutes. He said he still pauses before opening the phone, waiting to see if the hinge catches the same way again.
Roneshia Smith received the iPhone Duo as a graduation gift from her husband, Justin. The device cracked less than 24 hours after purchase. She woke up and grabbed the phone from the nightstand. The screen would not open like a book. It offered heavy resistance. When she finally forced it open, she heard a crackling sound she compared to an egg breaking. The couple laughed at the timing, given the device was less than a day old.
Smith took the phone to an Apple Store. Staff told her they could not repair the unit. The only option was a replacement. Because of high demand, she is unsure when she will receive the new device. "I'm kind of stuck in this limbo," Smith said. The iPhone Duo starts at nearly $2,000 and tops out at $3,000 for higher-end models. It is the first major product rollout under new Apple CEO John Ternus.
Apple told CBS News it is aware of the issue. The company said early user response has been positive and developers are rapidly updating apps for the new form factor. Apple acknowledged an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of units. The company advises users with display problems to contact AppleCare for a replacement.
Lance Ulanoff, an editor at large at TechRadar, noted that the folding screen consists of multiple layers. These include an OLED panel, glass, a plastic covering, and a mechanical hinge. He identified the ultra-thin glass as the most fragile component. Ulanoff said Apple's quick acknowledgment of the defect is unusual for the company. He has used the iPhone Duo for a week and a half without trouble. He called the issue a blip for now but recommended that owners with damaged devices make an appointment at an Apple Store rather than walking in.
Apple is scheduled to hold another product event in Los Angeles this week. The company is expected to unveil a touchscreen laptop during the presentation.
