Apple's first foldable smartphone, the 'iPhone Duo,' has been engulfed in controversy over screen damage since its launch. Although it is a high-priced product with a retail price starting from 3.29 million won, claims that the screen broke within hours of purchase have emerged, fueling growing concerns about initial quality.
According to IT specialist media outlet MacRumors on the 24th, photos and posts claiming that the internal display of the iPhone Duo was damaged have been continuously uploaded to overseas online communities such as Reddit and the MacRumors forum. Following a damage experience report from an Australian buyer, screen abnormalities were also captured in display models at stores in China and Japan.
One Australian buyer claimed that the internal screen of their iPhone Duo was damaged approximately six hours after purchase. The buyer stated, "It has been about six hours since I received the product, and I had not unfolded it even 20 times," explaining, "The moment I unfolded the screen to show a friend, I felt something catching near the internal hinge."
The buyer added, "As I continued to unfold it, I heard a 'crack' sound, and the screen shattered along the hinge," noting, "There were no signs indicating that anything was stuck or damaged on the internal screen surface or the external hinge."
The buyer in question later revealed that they visited an Apple Store and immediately received an exchange for the damaged product. However, it is not known what explanation Apple provided regarding the exact cause of the damage.
Similar cases were also captured in the United States, China, and Japan. Photos showing bright horizontal or vertical lines appearing on the internal screens of iPhone Duos displayed at local stores were shared online. The display was shown to be malfunctioning centered around the folding section in the middle of the screen.
This controversy is drawing attention given that the iPhone Duo is Apple's first foldable phone. Foldable phones have a structure where the screen is repeatedly folded and unfolded, making the durability of the hinge and internal display a core element determining product quality. In particular, since continuous physical force is applied to the folding section, ensuring screen durability is more important than in regular smartphones.
The iPhone Duo is a high-priced product with a domestic retail price starting from 3.29 million won. Following the spread of a video showing wrinkles appearing on the folding section after removing the screen protector film, cases of screen damage emerged less than a day after launch. If similar cases occur in the future, there is a possibility that controversy over product durability will spread further.
in TECH
