Apple officially acknowledged the issue after a series of reports emerged that screens were cracking immediately following the launch of its first foldable smartphone, the "iPhone Duo." The company confirmed that internal display issues had occurred in some units and has begun providing replacement support.
According to Bloomberg on the 27th, Apple stated in a statement, "We are aware that an issue affecting the internal display is occurring in a small number of iPhone Duo units." It further advised, "Users experiencing screen issues with their iPhone Duo should contact AppleCare for a replacement."
Apple stated that most units are free of problems and that symptoms appear quickly in defective products. However, it did not disclose the specific rate of defects.
The iPhone Duo is Apple's first foldable smartphone, launched on the 23rd. The domestic retail price starts at 3.29 million won. However, consumer complaints have been pouring in that internal screens were damaged within just a few hours to a few days after launch. Bloomberg verified defect cases by reviewing photos of product damage provided by consumers and Apple customer support consultation records.
Victims testified that when unfolding the screen, it felt stiffer than usual or made a "creaking" sound, after which cracks appeared in the folding section. In some units, white stains appeared on the screen, or the touch function malfunctioned. One consumer in the U.S. claimed that a crack occurred while normally unfolding the screen approximately 30 hours after receiving the product.
Repair specialist iFixit raised the possibility that a failure in the hinge component, rather than the display panel itself, may have caused the screen damage. Victims also testified that they felt a protruding part on the lower side of the screen near where the cracks began.
Apple is investigating the cause of the defects. Some consumers were immediately provided with replacements, and cases were confirmed where engineers collected damaged devices for analysis. On the other hand, some consumers had to wait or send their products via courier due to a shortage of replacement stock.
This controversy draws attention given that Apple has emphasized the durability and hinge design of the iPhone Duo. Apple CEO John Turners previously described competitors' foldable phones as "cheap and crude." Apple also invested significant development resources in minimizing screen wrinkles.
Francisco Jeronimo, a researcher at market research firm IDC, assessed, "It shows that even companies with abundant technical personnel and strict supply chain management systems, like Apple, experience considerable trial and error in developing foldable phones."
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