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Apple's first foldable phone has barely been on sale for a weekend, and it already has a name for its problem: owners are calling it "crackgate". Since the iPhone Duo went on general sale on Friday, October 23, buyers in several countries have reported inner screens cracking along the centre fold — some within hours of unboxing. Apple has now confirmed an issue affecting "a small number" of units and told affected owners to contact AppleCare for a replacement. This is a different story from the laboratory failure our earlier iPhone Duo durability-test post covered; what follows is what happened in buyers' hands, and what Apple has actually said about it.
What owners are reporting
The reports share an unusually consistent pattern. An Australian buyer wrote on Reddit that the screen broke about six hours after purchase, after fewer than 20 openings: while showing the phone to a friend, he felt something around the internal hinge under the screen, heard an audible crack, and watched the display break right along the hinge, with a bright strip of light running along one half. A Dallas buyer reported a near-identical sequence — folded about four times, the hinge went tight, then a loud pop as he pushed past it. Other reports describe cracks appearing during initial setup, bright lines or white patches across part of the screen, and screens that became unusable. The Guardian's account counted about ten similar reports globally, with cases also reported in China; Bloomberg independently verified the problem with more than half a dozen customers who provided photographs or support-conversation evidence.
Two details in those accounts matter for anyone judging scale. First, the affected buyers generally report no external impact — no drop, no caught object — which is why the hinge itself is under suspicion. Second, Apple Stores have, in the reported cases, replaced the devices immediately, while buyers who purchased through carriers have had a less straightforward experience, with limited replacement stock and at least one reported instance of a buyer being told they would have to pay for the damage. Apple says users do not need AppleCare+ to qualify for a replacement for this issue.
What Apple has confirmed — and what it has not
In a statement reported by 9to5Mac and carried by multiple outlets, Apple said: "The response to iPhone Duo from early users has been incredibly positive, and we are seeing exciting things from developers who are rapidly updating their apps to take advantage of its unique form factor. We are aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units. If users experience issues with their iPhone Duo display, they should contact AppleCare for a replacement." Apple has not explained what causes the screens to crack, has not announced any manufacturing change, and has not given a number beyond "a small number". Renowned Apple analyst Mark Gurman has posted that the issue is "real" and that Apple has not yet given guidance on it to customer-service representatives or stores, though the company is investigating.
Apple also briefly created a support page titled "iPhone Duo Troubleshooting Hinge Issues", according to The Times, which suggested removing third-party cases or screen protectors and checking for particles or dust along the hinge and for dents or scratches on the enclosure; the page was later no longer accessible. That sequence — a troubleshooting page appearing and disappearing — is the kind of detail that fuels speculation, but it is not evidence of a recall, and none has been announced.
Why the hinge is the prime suspect
The hinge theory has independent support, though not proof. Repair experts iFixit built a 3D model of the Duo hinge from teardown footage, patents and CT scans, and found the reported breaks cluster near the transition from the gap for the crossing flex cable to the central hinge support. In their closing simulation, the centre support bar failed to drop far enough, so the screen's curved fold came down onto it, creating a small stress hotspot near the reported break location. A separate JerryRigEverything test found dust and sand working into the hinge until the device no longer closed completely, because the magnets pulling the two halves together could not overcome the debris. Neither finding proves what broke any individual owner's phone, and some reviewers who repeatedly opened and closed the phone report no issues at all — but together they explain why engineers are looking at the hinge rather than at the glass alone.
What owners should do now
The practical advice follows directly from Apple's statement and the reported cases. If you own a Duo, unfold it slowly and stop if the hinge feels tight or makes an unexpected noise — several crack reports begin exactly there. Keep dust and grit away from the hinge, and do not force a stiff fold. If the inner display cracks or develops a bright line, contact AppleCare rather than a carrier first where possible, since Apple has said a replacement is available for this issue without AppleCare+. And keep the receipt and photographs: with about ten public cases against a forecast of six million Duos to be sold this year, according to Counterpoint analysis cited by The Times, this is so far a small fraction of sales — but it is a fraction Apple has now publicly acknowledged, which is precisely what turns scattered Reddit posts into a story worth watching. Out-of-warranty, the inner-display repair runs $999, or $99 with AppleCare+, so getting the issue logged early matters. Sources: 91mobiles on Apple's acknowledgement and FoneArena on the AppleCare route.