Apple Launches iPhone Duo Foldable as Early Display Breakage Reports Surface

Apple has officially released its first folding smartphone, the iPhone Duo, hitting stores worldwide on Friday with a retail price of approximately $2,000. Unlike past historical iPhone releases, the global rollout saw fewer traditional overnight camp-outs and round-the-block queues, though demand remained robust with sales rationed and estimated delivery dates slipping to late January shortly after pre-orders opened.

Apple characterized the consumer response as nothing short of extraordinary. The company capped pre-orders at two handsets per customer and limited retail sales to walk-in shoppers, while mandating online ordering systems for buyers in countries such as China, France, Hong Kong, India, and Japan.

The launch marks a critical test for Apple as it enters the premium foldable market years after competitors like Samsung Electronics and Huawei Technologies established a presence. It also serves as an early challenge for Apple's newly appointed CEO, John Ternus, who unveiled the passport-shaped device in September just a week after taking charge.

However, the launch has been quickly overshadowed by reports of hardware issues among early users and in-store demo units. Multiple reports surfaced on Reddit on launch day detailing inner screens breaking along the hinge, echoing early durability hurdles faced by competitors in the folding device sector years prior.

Affected users described a repeatable failure point on the inner screen near the hinge. One buyer in Australia noted that their device functioned for approximately six hours and fewer than 20 openings before producing an audible crack, accompanied by strange bright lines across the right side of the display despite the external surface and hinge appearing entirely undamaged.

Apple Stores have begun addressing the issue on a case-by-case basis. In at least one documented instance, an Apple Store immediately replaced an affected device with a brand-new unit on the spot, treating the failure as a replacement-level problem. Apple has not yet issued an official statement regarding the cause of the reported display breakage.

In terms of hardware specifications, the iPhone Duo features a 7.6-inch OLED folding display equipped with a nano-texture inner finish designed to minimize reflections. Weighing approximately 254 grams, the device enters a crowded 2026 luxury foldable market alongside competing models like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 and the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold, both carrying similar $2,000 price tags and distinct design trade-offs.