After Telling Galaxy to Watch Out, iPhone Suffers 'Unprecedented Humiliation'... Cracked Screens and Service Chaos

Screen damage cases also reported in South Korea
Consumer complaints mount over replacement delays and confusion over repair procedures

Apple's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, has faced not only durability concerns but also after-sales service problems since its launch. Reports have continued to emerge of internal displays breaking while users were unfolding the screens normally. Despite Apple's announcement that it would replace affected devices free of charge, shortages of replacement units and delays in processing claims have fueled consumer complaints.

On November 7 (local time), U.S. tech publication PhoneArena reported that a surge in repair requests for the iPhone Duo was disrupting Apple's replacement service.

Users have reported that, when unfolding the screen, they heard a sound near the hinge or felt more resistance than usual, after which cracks or vertical or horizontal lines appeared on the internal display. Some also said that a raised area appeared on the screen or that the touch function stopped working properly.

On October 26, Apple acknowledged that problems had occurred with the internal displays of some iPhone Duo units. It advised customers whose devices were confirmed to be affected to seek replacements through AppleCare, but did not disclose the exact cause of the defect or the number of devices affected.

Apple's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, is already facing questions about its durability and after-sales service, damaging confidence in the product from the outset. Yonhap News Agency

Repair specialist iFixit analyzed teardown videos and computed tomography (CT) scans, among other materials, and suggested that a support component inside the hinge may not have moved properly as the screen folded, concentrating pressure on a specific area.

Problems have also arisen during the replacement process. One user cited by PhoneArena asked Apple for a replacement after the bottom of the screen began to bulge. The user was initially told the issue was considered a manufacturing defect and the device could be replaced, but was later informed that the volume of repair requests made it difficult to provide expedited replacements. The user also claimed to have been told that even a standard replacement could take until January 2027.

Similar cases have been reported in South Korea. On November 5, two local iPhone Duo buyers damaged their internal displays while unfolding their devices. Both received free replacements, but the process was delayed as the service center waited for approval from Apple's headquarters. One buyer in Incheon said that although a replacement unit was available at the service center, it took about five hours to obtain Apple's approval, and the buyer received a new device the following day.

Apple has since instructed Apple Stores and authorized service centers to diagnose defects in the internal display and repair or replace affected devices. However, it has yet to disclose the exact cause of the defect, how widespread it is, or what measures it will take to prevent recurrence. As a result, some consumers in South Korea have opted for refunds or resale rather than waiting for a replacement.

The iPhone Duo attracted considerable attention even before its launch, as Apple's first foldable smartphone. However, reports of screen damage in early units and delays in replacement services have hurt confidence in the product. Consumers who paid a premium for the device are particularly frustrated not only by the defects themselves but also by what they see as inadequate support after the problems emerged.

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