Apple has officially acknowledged that some of its newly launched iPhone Duo handsets are experiencing inner-display failures, just days after the tech giant’s first-ever foldable smartphone went on sale worldwide.

The device, which starts at £1,999 in the UK and rises to £3,199 for top-tier configurations, has drawn intense scrutiny after its high-profile launch under new chief executive John Ternus.

Early adopters took to social media platforms to share photographs of vertical lines, bright pixel bands and central screen fractures running along the device’s main crease. Some users also reported hearing an unsettling crunching noise when unfolding the mechanism.

Responding to the mounting reports, Apple confirmed it is aware of “an issue impacting the inner display on a small number” of the foldable phones and has urged affected customers to contact official support channels for immediate device replacements.

High-profile customer cases, such as user Justin Lokos who shared images of a cracked display followed by a successful in-store swap in New York, have highlighted Apple’s rapid retail response.

The precise scale of the hardware failure remains undetermined. Industry analysts note that while a handful of damaged units have surfaced online, some circulating images may be artificial intelligence-generated fakes. Nevertheless, the early glitches underscore the immense engineering challenges inherent in foldable technology.

One of my friends just had the display on his Duo crack and then lines + broken panel and the thing no longer folds. I wonder if it’s this latch in the hinge snapping or something happening, then piercing the bottom of the panel and locking the hinge https://t.co/SCnONy67lE

— Max Weinbach (@mweinbach) October 24, 2026

Francisco Jeronimo, an analyst at market research firm IDC, noted that the defects demonstrate “that even a company with Apple’s engineering resources and supply chain discipline faces a steep learning curve in foldables.” Jeronimo emphasised that because the Duo is positioned as an ultra-premium luxury tier, how Apple manages the warranty response will heavily dictate consumer confidence – particularly with another 28 international markets scheduled to launch the device later this week.

Featuring a 7.6-inch inner display and a complex central hinge designed to rival established Android competitors, the iPhone Duo represents Apple’s most radical redesign in nearly two decades.

While competitors like Samsung faced similar screen fragility hurdles during early foldable iterations, Apple’s ability to maintain retail goodwill through swift hardware swaps will be critical as the company attempts to cement its footprint in the burgeoning foldable market.

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