Some iPhone Duo screens are already failing, Apple says only a ‘small number’ are affected

The iPhone Duo launched last week, giving anyone willing to spend $2,000 the chance to experience Apple’s first foldable phone. For some early buyers, the next morning doesn’t go so well. Despite the company’s big talk about its “precision-engineered” hinge, some devices appear to have a hardware defect that destroys the device’s impressive internal display within a few hours (or minutes) of use.

The internet is currently full of images of broken iPhone Duos, all showing almost identical damage. The OLED is marred by several light lines starting just below the middle of the screen. These bands of damaged pixels extend to the bottom and right edges. Some units also display lines of dead pixels following the fold from the top to the area where the bright lines begin.

Anyone who has seen a damaged OLED panel knows this type of defect. When the layers of the screen are damaged, the pixels no longer receive the proper voltage to illuminate them. Instead, they receive full control voltage and remain on continuously at maximum brightness. Some pixels cannot receive any voltage, leaving them completely black. The only solution is to replace the OLED, but replacing the iPhone Duo screen would cost half as much as the device itself.

It appears that most affected devices fail within about a day of use. But a few unlucky buyers note that they’ve only opened and closed the phone a few times, and in some cases haven’t even completed the initial setup process. Some customers have reported success in bringing their faulty phones to Apple stores for replacement, but replacement parts might be in short supply right now.

A look inside

In the absence of any official explanation, iFixit might be the best solution. The site has already taken apart an iPhone Duo and taken a close look at the affected area. After years of seeing other foldables fail, there are a few suspects worth checking out. Since foldable devices must transmit data and power through the hinge, there is always a hidden cable inside that could press on the screen. The iPhone Duo has a wide cable with “accordion folds,” according to iFixit, but that doesn’t quite match the damage reports.