"Panic Full" Followed by Screen Damage Controversy... Users Buzz Over Defects in New iPhone

Display Damage Reported in Some Devices
Same Symptoms When Opening and Closing the Screen
Some Suspect a Hinge Design Flaw

Apple's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, has faced allegations of defects shortly after its launch. Reports of devices developing cracks in the inner display or breaking without any external impact have emerged one after another. Since the damaged devices have shown the same symptoms, concerns have also arisen over a possible defect in the hinge design, a key component of foldable smartphones.

According to Nine to Five Mac, an Apple-focused U.S. tech outlet, and other media outlets, some users of the iPhone Duo, which launched simultaneously worldwide on October 23, experienced damage to the inner display. The damage was found around the area where the inner display folds.

An iPhone Duo with an internal screen defect. Screenshot from Reddit.

Notably, the reported circumstances in which the damage occurred were similar. Users who experienced damage to the inner display said that after hearing a sound while opening or closing it, a vertical crack appeared along the hinge in the center of the screen, while a horizontal white line appeared on the right side of the display. If the screens broke after the same symptoms appeared, the possibility of a design defect in the device itself cannot be ruled out. One hypothesis in the industry is that a design issue around the hinge may prevent components from moving properly, placing pressure on the display panel and causing the defect.

However, Nine to Five Mac reported that it had confirmed only around a dozen cases of defects, so it cannot be concluded that a design flaw was the cause. Users whose devices were damaged reportedly received free replacements at Apple Stores. Apple has not issued a statement on the damage reports.

Users have also continued to report that the device gets very hot. Some said it overheated not only during extended gaming or video streaming, which require high performance, but even when they simply opened and closed the screen. This appears to be related to the titanium frame used in the iPhone Duo. The iPhone Duo uses a vapor chamber to dissipate heat, but unlike the iPhone 18 Pro, which uses aluminum, it has a titanium frame. Titanium is lightweight and strong, but its low thermal conductivity makes it less suitable for controlling heat.

Apple also faced controversy over early production defects in the iPhone 18 Pro, released last month. The iPhone 18 Pro experienced a phenomenon known as "Panic Full," in which the device forcibly shuts down under certain conditions. Specifically, the device would shut down after multiple failed authentication attempts using Face ID, its facial-recognition security solution.

The iPhone Duo is on display at Apple Myeongdong in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 23rd, its launch day. Yonhap News

As the issue occurred early in the product's launch, some users suspected their devices were defective and sought replacements. According to data submitted by Apple Korea to the office of People Power Party lawmaker Kim Janggyeom, more than 1,500 iPhone 18 Pro units were exchanged and more than 50 were refunded during the 10 days starting September 18. Apple later resolved the Panic Full issue through a software update.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.