Are iPhone Duo screens really cracking? Fake photos cloud ‘Crackgate’ as real cases emerge
Within hours of the iPhone Duo going on sale on October 23, photos began spreading of brand-new phones with their inner screens split down the middle. By Sunday, the problem had a name, Crackgate. The phone sells for Dh8,499. That price makes every crack photo feel like a scandal. However, a close look at the coverage shows two stories tangled together: A real hardware failure of unknown scale,…
Since the iPhone Duo launched on October 23, images of broken displays have circulated widely. The issue gained the name "Crackgate." Priced at Dh8,499, any visible damage seems especially alarming. However, a deeper examination reveals two intertwined stories: genuine hardware malfunctions and an online environment saturated with reposted, joked-about, and possibly AI-edited photos.
Apple's response came after confirming a few instances of screen failure. Reports from Australia, the US, Canada, China, and India detail identical problems: a crack appearing along the center fold, with one half of the screen displaying a white, stuck pixel block. The most documented case stems from a Melbourne customer who experienced the issue within six hours of ownership.
He felt a slight resistance when unfolding the phone near the hinge, heard a snap, and noticed no pre-existing screen damage. The screen was replaced immediately at an Apple Store. Another user from Dallas reported a similar incident during setup after a few folds on a stiff hinge. Apple has replaced devices in-store, providing the strongest evidence of real failures.
Notably, Apple has refrained from making public statements regarding the issue. The phone's limited retail time makes any statement premature. The iPhone Duo retails for Dh8,499, making any damaged units feel like a significant problem. Yet, the situation is more complex. Analyses reveal a mix of genuine failures and photos manipulated to look damaged, including AI-altered images.
To clarify, three categories emerge: verified hardware issues, unverified but potentially genuine cases, and an overwhelming amount of images that appear damaged but may be fakes or heavily edited.
Written by urgent.news from Gulf News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
