Some of the first people to get Apple’s first foldable are reporting inner screens that cracked along the hinge, in a few cases within hours of unboxing. The iPhone Duo went on sale on Friday 23 October, and by the weekend the complaints had a name on Reddit: “Crackgate”. The scale of the issue remains unclear, and as PCMag notes, Apple hasn’t commented, explained the cause or said how widespread it is.
What owners are describing
The reports follow a pattern. The affected units seem to break the same way: the screen cracks down the centre line of the hinge, and a horizontal block of pixels then glows white. The most-shared account comes from an Australian owner, who posted in a Reddit thread that his phone broke after about six hours and fewer than 20 openings. He said he felt something around the internal hinge, then heard an audible crack as the screen broke along it. Apple replaced the device at an Apple Store right away.
Other owners say theirs failed even sooner. According to 9to5Mac, a couple of people said theirs cracked during first setup. Its writer counts about ten unique instances so far, which is small against the units already in customers’ hands. The site estimates Apple has probably shipped hundreds of thousands, if not millions, though Apple hasn’t confirmed sales figures.
That context cuts both ways. AppleInsider says it checked with sources at seven Apple stores on 24 October and none had seen devices in for broken screens. A second check late on Sunday found only one instance across all of them. MacRumors adds that photos of broken demo units in China have an unknown backstory, and user damage may be a factor. Reviewers who folded the Duo early didn’t hit screen issues, but that’s a small sample.
What might be causing it
Nobody has a confirmed cause. 9to5Mac says the working theory is a batch of Duos with a defective hinge component, with a slightly misaligned piece poking up into the inner screen. Some people on social media have also suggested not closing the phone by pressing the centre of the inner display. 9to5Mac calls that advice’s relevance unclear, and notes that Apple hasn’t given official guidance on handling the phone.
A YouTuber’s teardown lends some weight to the hinge theory. AppleInsider reports that CuriousHagi dismantled a unit that had cracked after he bent it backwards in dirt, and found a hinge element sheared at the same spot where the crack began. That unit had been deliberately stressed, so it isn’t a like-for-like match with owners who say they did nothing unusual. MacRumors’ write-up of the iFixit teardown says iFixit put the failures down to possibilities including pressure, a trapped particle, repeated bending or a manufacturing defect. iFixit’s hinge model shows the breaks clustering near the gap where the flex cable crosses the central hinge support.
Replacements, warranty and supply
The experience depends on where you bought it. 9to5Mac says most buyers with the problem have been able to go back to the Apple Store and get a straight replacement. Carrier customers have fared worse, because carriers don’t hold immediate replacement stock, and one person was told they must have dropped the phone and would have to pay for the repair.
On paper, Apple’s terms favour owners with a genuine fault. PCMag says hinge failures from normal use, as opposed to accident, abuse or wear and tear, fall under Apple’s one-year warranty, and that US buyers get two weeks to return a faulty device for a full refund. Once the warranty ends, PCMag puts repair costs at up to $1,500. AppleCare One, from $19.99 a month for up to three devices under four years old, extends cover, but PCMag points out that it doesn’t waive the service fee for accidental damage.
Replacement units are also hard to find. PCMag says demand and supply-chain problems mean new buyers may be waiting until 2027. MacRumors earlier reported, citing Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, that Apple launched pre-orders despite expecting severe supply constraints.
What it means in the UAE
The Duo went on sale in the UAE on the same day as the US. Arabian Business reports, citing Apple UAE, that it starts at AED 8,499 here, against USD 1,999 in the US. We haven’t found UAE-specific crack reports or a statement from Apple UAE, and we haven’t confirmed whether the US warranty and return terms above apply locally.
If you’re deciding between foldables, our iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold8 comparison for the UAE covers the pricing gap and trade-offs. Apple’s own stance on durability is covered in our earlier report on crease durability. If you’ve already bought one, we recommend checking it for hinge stiffness or odd noises in the first days, keeping your proof of purchase, and confirming the UAE return window and warranty terms with Apple before it lapses.
Does the warranty cover a cracked iPhone Duo screen?
In the US, MacRumors and PCMag say hinge failures from normal use fall under the one-year warranty, while accident and abuse don’t. Apple UAE’s terms weren’t confirmed for this story, so check them with Apple or your retailer.
Should I avoid pressing the centre of the screen when closing the Duo?
Some people on social media suggest so, but 9to5Mac calls the advice’s relevance unclear, and Apple hasn’t issued handling guidance. AppleInsider separately advises against bending the hinge backwards.
Can I still buy an iPhone Duo in the UAE?
UAE retailers such as iStyle list it from AED 8,499. Live stock wasn’t verified, and PCMag says demand and supply problems could push some waits into 2027.
