iPhone Duo screen cracks: what iFixit found, what to do

Some iPhone Duo owners say the inner screen on Apple's first foldable is cracking along the hinge within hours of unboxing. The reports began on Friday, October 23, the day the $1,999 phone went on sale, and they all look strikingly similar: a thin crack down the centre of the fold and, often, a block of pixels stuck glowing white on one side.

Apple has not commented publicly and has not announced a repair program. On Sunday, iFixit published its teardown, which points at a likely weak spot in the hinge. Here is what we know, what it costs to fix, and what to do if you own one or are about to.

What owners are reporting

MacRumors first rounded up the reports on October 23, calling it a possible "Crackgate". One owner in Australia said the screen cracked about six hours after setup, after fewer than 20 opens, with an audible crack; their Apple Store replaced the phone on the spot. Photos of broken demo units in Chinese Apple Stores also spread, though how those units were treated is unknown.

By Sunday, 9to5Mac said it had seen about ten unique cases, many posted to the iPhone Duo subreddit. A couple of people said their screens broke during first-time setup. The scale is unclear: Apple has likely shipped a very large number of units, and reviewers who used the phone for weeks did not report the problem.

What iFixit's teardown found

iFixit's teardown, published October 25, says the breaks it has seen cluster in the same place: near where the hinge's central support begins, slightly below where the display cable passes. Its simulation suggests a possible cause is a centre support piece that does not drop far enough as the phone folds, and iFixit asks whether it could be getting stuck. It also says some of the damage may be to the screen's electrical rows and columns rather than a visible physical snap.

iFixit quoted one Reddit owner: "Maybe folded it 4 times, hinge got tight and then made a loud pop when I pushed past it." MacRumors, summarising the teardown, says curved rails in the hinge may sit higher than the flat plates around them, and one rail lines up with the damage. None of this is confirmed by Apple.

The rest of the teardown was kinder. iFixit gave the iPhone Duo a provisional repairability score of 5 out of 10, which it says is the highest it has given a foldable. The batteries (7.5 Wh and 11.6 Wh, 19.1 Wh total) release electrically rather than with stubborn glue, and the outer display comes off intact. In a dust test, the hinge crunched but let in less dust than the Galaxy Z Fold8 or Pixel 11 Pro Fold. iFixit's blunt advice for now: "You'd better baby that screen."

What Apple has said

Nothing publicly about the cracks. Apple did not reply to requests for comment from The Verge or 9to5Mac. Apple did publish a support document on hinge problems at launch, which lists symptoms such as the phone not opening or closing completely, unexpected noises, a loose hinge, and a bent or broken hinge. Macworld reports the document advises removing third-party cases and screen protectors and checking for dust or particles, and that hinge repairs mean replacing the inner display assembly.

Most owners who went back to an Apple Store got a straight replacement, according to 9to5Mac. Buyers who purchased from carriers had a harder time, since carriers lacked spare stock. At least one owner, per 9to5Mac and The Mac Observer, was told the phone must have been dropped and that the repair would not be covered.

How much a cracked inner screen costs to fix

Without AppleCare+, replacing the iPhone Duo's inner display costs $999 in the US, according to Apple's repair pricing reported by MacRumors. That is half the price of a new 256GB model. Other out-of-warranty prices: $49 for the inner screen's removable cover layer, $379 for the outer display, $229 for the battery and $199 for the back glass. Other damage is $1,499.

With AppleCare+ ($19.99 a month, $199.99 a year or $399 upfront), the inner display costs $99, the cover layer $19, and the outer display or back glass $29. A screen that fails from a defect during normal use should be covered free under Apple's one-year limited warranty, but Apple decides case by case.

What to do if you own an iPhone Duo

Open and close it gently, from the edges, and stop if the hinge feels tight or resists; several owners describe resistance or a pop right before the crack. Keep the hinge free of dust and pocket lint, and take off any third-party case or screen protector that could press on the fold.

Photograph the inner screen, hinge and outer shell now, and keep your receipt. If the screen cracks with no sign of a drop, take it to an Apple Store (or call Apple at 800-275-2273 in the US) and ask for it to be assessed under warranty rather than as accidental damage. In the US, Apple's standard return window is 14 days, so early buyers can still return the phone if they would rather wait.

If you have not bought one yet, consider waiting a couple of weeks. Apple has not explained the issue, and either a statement or a pattern in affected units should make the risk clearer. If you buy now, AppleCare+ cuts the worst-case inner screen bill from $999 to $99.

The bottom line

The number of broken iPhone Duos looks small so far, but the failures are consistent enough that iFixit and owners suspect a hinge part rather than rough handling. Until Apple says more, treat the inner screen with care, keep proof of how you used it, and push for a warranty repair if it cracks on its own.