Apple has announced it will replace iPhone Duo handsets that have developed problems with their screens, just days after the highly anticipated smartphone went on sale. The move comes as the technology giant faces early hardware complaints regarding its first ever foldable device.
Photos posted on social media show lines that appeared on the screens of the iPhone Duo, which has a starting price of £1,999 ($2,668) in the UK. Apple said it is aware of “an issue impacting the inner display on a small number” of the phones and urged affected users to contact the company for a replacement.
Reports of Display Flaws
Some Duo owners also posted photos online showing cracks along the screen’s centre crease. Others reported a crunching noise when opening the device. The extent of the issue remains unclear, as Apple did not say how many devices were affected. Some images showing faulty devices may have been created using artificial intelligence.
One user, Justin Lokos, posted an image of a device with lines across the right side of the display. He later uploaded a picture of a new handset alongside the broken one, thanking an Apple store in New York for its help. A user said Apple had helped him to replace his faulty iPhone Duo.
The Duo’s 7.6-inch (19.3cm) inner display is held together by a central hinge. This is a complex piece of engineering that has resulted in similar flaws in folding devices made by some of Apple’s competitors. Samsung’s first foldable phone, the Galaxy Fold, suffered an early setback in 2019 when reviewers reported broken screens on the devices.
Apple’s First Major Redesign
The Duo marks Apple’s first major iPhone redesign in almost two decades. It was unveiled by new chief executive John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook in September. When closed, the Duo looks like a wider version of an iPhone, then opens up to a device resembling a small tablet computer.
“Others have created foldables that just feel like two phones awkwardly stuck together,” Ternus told an audience at Apple’s California headquarters last month. The Duo, he said, would “redefine the experience of using a foldable phone.” It is Apple’s most expensive iPhone ever, costing up to £3,199 for the most well-equipped models.
The Duo’s launch attracted crowds at Apple stores around the world last week. This comes as the brand tries to reinvigorate its range of devices and challenge the foldable phones made by rivals. Android users already have a broad selection of foldable phones to choose from, a technology Apple spent years developing before the Duo’s release.
Source: BBC
