Very shortly after the iPhone Duo launched, a dismayed Australian iPhone Duo owner took to Reddit with a horror story: The inner screen had broken within six hours of ownership. It was the first in a big wave of reports, collectively dubbed “crackgate.”
The iPhone Duo subreddit is full of user reports of cracked screens, nearly all of which cracked in the same spot on the inner screen. The posts that aren’t complaints are mostly memes, although there’s been a surge in counter-posting, where people share that their Duo is perfectly fine.
iPhone Duo screen cracked within 6 hours of ownership…
by r/iPhoneDuo
As is always the case with online complaints, it is important to consider the inherent bias in a situation like this. Those who don’t have any issues are far less likely to pop into the iPhone Duo subreddit to post, and many more are likely entirely unaware there’s even a fresh “-gate” controversy.
As The Verge reports, iFixit has already torn the iPhone Duo. iFixit does teardowns like this to see how a company engineered its latest product and how easy it is to repair. But what makes the iPhone Duo teardown especially notable is that several users’ devices broke in the same way. Is there a manufacturing issue or design problem at play here?
“After fifteen years of patents and rumors, the iPhone Duo is here, and repair shops may not have long to wait for their first customers,” iFixit writes. “Owners are already reporting cracks and bright lines along the fold. Though Apple’s offering replacement units for now, any out-of-warranty screen damage will cost $999. So of course we wanted a closer look at what’s happening underneath.”
iFixit, lauding much of the Duo’s design and engineering, speculates after careful analysis and scanning that a center support bar may move just enough to cause a stress point that could, in some situations, crack the screen. The fact that so many broken iPhone Duo foldables break in the exact same spot suggests iFixit’s theory has merit. The issue’s consistency supports the idea of a problem beneath the display. The exact nature of the problem, though, remains unknown.
It’s important to note here that “physical” doesn’t necessarily mean that the screen is physically damaged. Faulty wiring can cause a similar effect: it can look like pixels are damaged when, in reality, they just aren’t firing correctly. What some people describe as a “crack” is not necessarily a crack at all.
YouTuber CuriousHagi has also taken apart the Duo to see what’s going on and try to find a cause for “cracked” screens. As viewers will quickly see, CuriousHagi intentionally broke the device to recreate real-world problems in a dramatic way.
Under CuriousHagi’s extreme stress test, a very particular part of the hinge snapped off. The YouTube creator says it’s located beneath the display, near where people are having issues, and the hinge part is relatively thinner than the ones above and below it.
It’s important to temper any speculation of a cause, though. Online commenters, some of whom have broken $2,000 phones and have every right to be upset, have floated ideas about manufacturing defects, design flaws, and other notions that could spell disaster for Apple’s new flagship device.
What’s much more likely for a carefully engineered device from one of the world’s biggest companies is that the problems are relatively limited in scope and affect only a specific subset of devices. It takes very little movement inside a hinge to break a foldable phone’s screen, and as Apple itself admits, its hinge design is extremely sophisticated. Manufacturing tolerances are very strict, but they are inherently imperfect, especially when working hard to meet high demand.
Apple itself, in somewhat rare fashion, has just commented on “crackgate” today in an official statement.
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.
The report omits a lot of information, including how many devices might be affected so far and why, but it’s refreshing to see Apple acknowledge the negative experiences some people have had since the Duo launched last Friday.
It is important to note what Apple says about contacting AppleCare for support and a replacement device. A common thread among those who have taken to Reddit and social media with cracked screens is that they have received prompt support and, in many cases, already gotten replacement devices.
There will always be a risk of growing pains with a brand-new device, especially one that reflects a radical departure for Apple. Hopefully the company can quickly service any affected customers and nip whatever exactly is going on in the bud. It seems like Apple believes the problem is relatively limited.
As MacRumors notes, some people have already started making AI-generated photos of broken phones, just to fuel the fire online and get a bit of attention. It’s hard to know exactly how widespread “crackgate” is.
Image creditsApple
Affiliate Disclosure PetaPixel articles may include affiliate links; we may earn a commission if you buy through one.
