iPhone Duo hinge issue causing some screens to crack

The iPhone Duo came out only three days ago, but somehow it’s already breaking.

Essentially, reports started surfacing on social media over the weekend that the iPhone Duo’s screen was seemingly cracking out of nowhere. Some users heard a noticeable crack and then saw a T-shaped line of dead pixels, while others opened up to find the dreaded T-shaped line on their brand-new device.

But this isn’t the only issue the Duo has faced. Early complaints showed that some apps (including the Apple Store) simply weren’t updated to be compatible with the Duo, or that glitches bugged the user experience. However, all of that is very common for first-gen foldables. The screen cracking, however, is a bigger issue.

who made this i’m crying 😭 https://t.co/eDNAqgnC1G

— Holly – I like tech (@AnxiousHolly) October 25, 2026

So, what is causing the inside screens on the Duo to simply break? Teardowns from both YouTuber CuriousHagi and iFixit show that a component of the hinge on the Duo is breaking and protruding into the area where the OLED screen naturally folds, damaging the screen.

CuriousHagi noted in his video that the Duo uses a mixture of gear and link-type hinges, and a link hinge was causing the failure. One common symptom of a failing hinge is reportedly the device not bending past a certain angle, which CuriousHagi replicated.

Although it was revealed that repairing the iPhone Duo through Apple will cost a pretty penny, the company is taking steps to help those affected. According to MacRumors, Apple is “aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units” and is directing impacted customers to contact AppleCare for a replacement. However, the company has not acknowledged the cause of the cracking issue.

Source: MacRumors, Reddit