Apple to Replace Defective iPhone Duo Units After Screen Cracks

Users report screen cracks and hinge defects

Users reported inner screen cracks and hinge problems soon after the iPhone Duo release, often when folding the device. Reports indicate that the internal display cracks at the hinge and dead pixels appear on the screen.

While Apple has not disclosed the cause, analysts suggest it may be a hardware design flaw or a defective production batch. Mark Gurman suggested the issue might lie in the hinge rather than the screen.

Reports mention potential hinge cracking and a manufacturing yield problem for the device. iFixit released a teardown of the iPhone Duo that included details about its hinge design.

CEO John Ternus addresses supply and quality concerns

On his first earnings call, Ternus said the screen issue affected a very small percentage of units.

Apple’s earnings-call statements, quoted by PCMag and The Verge, described the production ramp as healthy and did not link shortages to a defect. However, Apple executives described the iPhone Duo as constrained as of today, per PCMag.

Apple Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan attributed this constraint to the current production status.

Demand for the device exceeds supply and Apple gave no date for when supply will meet demand.

Ternus said there is no set end date for the shortage as RAM costs continue to rise. Sabih Khan said Apple is working hard to get the Duo into customers’ hands quickly.

No major Apple management figure has publicly addressed the screen problem, unlike past issues such as Antennagate and Bendgate. The latest models, including the iPhone 18 Pro series and the foldable iPhone Duo, launched on 9 September 2026.

Apple records record revenue amid product launch

Apple reported a 15 percent increase in total annual sales to $479 billion. CEO John Ternus announced that the company achieved an all-time record high revenue in India for the quarter ending September 2026.

iPhone revenue grew 17 percent to $57 billion for the three months ending 26 September 2026, though one report cites a figure of $57.6 billion. Apple continues to post record quarterly iPhone sales despite warnings about memory shortages. This indicates that the supply chain issue involves component scarcity rather than a lack of consumer demand.

iPhone Duo specifications and pricing details

The iPhone Duo, which went on sale on 23 October 2026, is priced at $1,999 in the United States and £1,999 in the United Kingdom. In India, the iPhone Duo is priced at Rs. 2,99,900.

The device features a titanium foldable chassis available in star white and night sky colors.

Hardware includes the A20 Pro chip, which contains a 7-core GPU and Neural Accelerators. The camera system is a 48 MP Dual Fusion setup with a 48 MP Fusion Main and a 48 MP Fusion Ultra Wide sensor.

Apple has not disclosed the RAM specifications for the device. The 2 TB storage model costs $3,199, which is $1,200 more than the base model.

Financing options for 24 months are set at $83.29 per month for the base model and $133.29 per month for the 2 TB model. An announcement titled "Open up to new possibilities with iPhone Duo" lists these hardware details, storage tiers, and retail channels but lacks supply-forecast information.

Samsung mocks Apple's foldable debut

Samsung posted a 32-second Instagram video depicting an Apple logo on a Galaxy Z Fold 8 screen to address the iPhone Duo situation.

This clip claims the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is thinner and lighter than the iPhone Duo by using the sliced fruit as a visual comparison. The advertisement also ridicules the iPhone Duo by referencing reports of screen cracks, prolonged delivery times, and missing features.

Supply chain constraints and memory costs

Apple faces supply constraints across most devices due to a shortage of advanced microprocessors.

Rising memory costs driven by AI-related demand have pushed up storage prices, leading Apple to increase hardware prices by approximately 20 percent. Apple cited these memory costs, which also affect Macs and iPads, as a factor in the iPhone Duo shortage.

Macs and iPads remain constrained through the current quarter because of this ongoing memory shortage. DRAM price increases in the fourth quarter are raising memory costs across the PC market as AI buyers consume capacity needed by phone and laptop makers. Apple’s manufacturing purchase obligations increased by $33 billion between the second and third quarters.

Consumer availability and delivery delays

Pre-orders for the iPhone Duo opened on Friday, 16 October 2026, and the device became available on Friday, 23 October 2026. After the pre-order window opened, delivery estimates were pushed to late January 2027.

In many markets, consumers who paid an advance for the iPhone Duo had to wait two months or more to receive the device. Apple limited sales to two devices per person, a policy that was poorly received in some markets.

Apple is working to increase supply after the device sold out shortly after its late-October launch. The company also warned of shortages ahead of the Christmas season. Initial users said they missed the speed and ease of Face ID, noted insufficient app optimization, and pointed out the new location of the status bar.