Some owners of Apple's new foldable iPhone Duo say their inner displays cracked after only a handful of openings, with photos showing damage near the hinge. Repair specialist iFixit has identified potential stress points in the folding mechanism, but the cause of the reported failures remains unconfirmed.

The reports appeared on Reddit and the MacRumors forums after the phone went on sale Oct. 23. Some affected owners say Apple replaced their devices, but there is not enough evidence to establish how widespread the problem is.

One Australian owner reported that the display cracked after fewer than 20 openings. In a Reddit post, the user said they felt something beneath the screen near the hinge while opening the phone to show a friend. A crack followed, leaving visible display damage. The owner reported no obvious external damage or trapped object, and said Apple replaced the device.

Another owner said the hinge became stiff after about four folds, followed by a loud pop when they pushed past the resistance. That account differs from a failure during ordinary opening because the user described forcing the hinge.

The incidents share a troubling feature: damage around the fold, sometimes accompanied by bright lines across the display. But the reports do not establish whether the phones failed for the same reason.

In its teardown, iFixit compared photos of damaged screens with a three-dimensional hinge model built from teardown footage, patents and CT scans. The team found that the reported breaks cluster near the transition between the gap for the cable connecting the phone's two halves and the central hinge support.

One possibility is that a support component fails to retract fully as the phone closes, putting pressure on the display at a vulnerable point. The team also examined the hinge's curved rails as a potential source of stress.

The findings offer possible explanations, not a confirmed diagnosis. A damaged display can show lines caused by problems with its electrical connections, so the appearance of a crack alone does not prove that the screen physically broke. iFixit's analysis has yet to establish whether the reported cases share a single cause.

Apple published an iPhone Duo support document covering hinge problems, including incomplete opening or closing, unexpected noises, looseness and visible damage. The guidance gives owners steps to check when they encounter these issues, but it does not confirm a widespread defect. Apple has not announced a recall or formal repair programme for the reported screen failures, but it did address the issue.

"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," Apple said in a statement to 9to5Mac.

A Screen Replacement Costs $999 Out of Warranty

The repair bill could make a failure especially costly. iFixit lists the out-of-warranty price for replacing the iPhone Duo's inner display at $999, compared with a starting price of about $1,999 for the phone. The repair would therefore cost roughly half the device's starting price.

For now, the reports raise legitimate questions about the Duo's hinge and inner display. Whether they point to a broader durability problem will depend on further evidence from affected devices and Apple's response.