Crackgate? iPhone Duo Owners Report Screens Breaking Along the Hinge

Reports suggest that some iPhone Duo models are encountering hinge issues, resulting in display cracks along the hinge area. Visuals posted on platforms like Reddit and the MacRumors forums detail these problems, with most cases showing a horizontal line of bright pixels on the screen. One Australian user recounted his experience, stating that his iPhone Duo broke after being opened only a handful of times, with no prior visible damage.

He felt something around the internal hinge while opening it and heard a crack as the screen shattered.

An iPhone Duo owner in Australia reported his device breaking after being opened fewer than 20 times, with no visible damage beforehand. Upon visiting an Apple Store, his broken device was promptly replaced. Apple is reportedly gathering defective iPhone Duos for research to identify points of failure, which may lead to improvements in manufacturing to minimize future issues.

The company's commitment to warranty coverage means that hinge failures due to normal use should be addressed, and early iPhone Duo users are granted a two-week return window.

Images from demo devices in China, where the iPhone Duo was launched ahead of the U.S., indicate a potential link between early distribution and some users' experiences. However, the exact cause remains uncertain, as user damage could also be a contributing factor. While some reviewers subjected their early iPhone Duos to folding tests without experiencing screen issues, this represents a limited sample size.

As more people acquire iPhone Duos, it stands to reason that some failures are inevitable. The extent of the issue and whether a surge in complaints will follow remains unclear. Hinge failures arising from regular use are expected to be covered under Apple's one-year warranty, and customers purchasing an iPhone Duo today will have two weeks to return the device if problems arise.