Key takeaways
- A leak from China says the iPhone Duo’s cracking inner screens come from a hinge part made of the wrong material by one of two suppliers, not from the hinge design. Apple can reportedly identify the affected phones by serial number.
- There is still no recall and no repair program. The $1,999 iPhone Duo’s inner screen costs $999 to replace without AppleCare+.
- My view: Apple chose the supplier, approved the part and sold the phone. “Bad parts” is not an excuse, it’s an admission. If you know the serial numbers, tell the owners.
A leak from China says the iPhone Duo’s cracking inner screens are caused by a hinge part made of the wrong material by one of its two suppliers, not by the hinge design. Apple can reportedly find the affected phones by serial number, but there is still no recall, and the $1,999 phone’s inner screen costs $999 to replace without AppleCare+.
In this article: “Not bad design.” So whose phone is it? · You have the serial numbers. Use them · “A small number” today. And in six months? · Two weeks ago, the supplier was the enemy · Here’s what Apple should do · My guess: no recall, and a “new hinge” for the Duo 2 · FAQ
“Not bad design.” So whose phone is it?
Look how nicely this sounds: the design is perfect, only the parts were bad. For God’s sake, who chose those parts? Who tested them? Who put the apple logo on the box and sold it for two thousand dollars? Apple did. When the hinge is good on paper and breaks in your hand, the customer doesn’t care whose fault it is in the factory. He holds a cracked screen. It’s like a restaurant telling you the soup was great, only the meat was rotten. Did I order from the butcher, or from you?
You have the serial numbers. Use them
This is the part that makes me angry the most. If the leak is right, Apple knows exactly which phones have the bad part. It’s written in the serial number. And still, silence. No list, no letter to owners, no “check your phone here”. Why? Because a public list would mean admitting how many there are. Since day one I’ve been asking for the number, when Apple admitted the screens crack and again when it quietly sent a memo to every store. Apple, you know which phones they are. Tell the people who paid you.
“A small number” today. And in six months?
Apple and its fans love to repeat “a small number”. Fine, maybe today it’s small. But a bad material doesn’t ask how old your phone is. What if this part breaks after six months? After a year, one day after the warranty ends? Then nobody will talk about a small number. They will tell you about $999 for a new inner screen. You don’t buy a $2,000 phone to carry a lottery ticket in your pocket: will mine crack, or not?
Two weeks ago, the supplier was the enemy
Remember how Apple squeezed its memory suppliers for the lowest price? Now the story is: the supplier failed us. The hinge maker Fine M-Tec already said it’s not its fault and threatened lawyers. So who is it? Everyone points at everyone, and the only one who surely pays is the buyer. In my opinion, when you push suppliers to the cheapest price and rush the biggest launch of the year, you shouldn’t be surprised when some part isn’t what it should be.
Here’s what Apple should do
Simple. Publish a check by serial number. For every iPhone Duo with the bad part, give free hinge and screen coverage for at least three years, whether you bought AppleCare+ or not. If Apple is so sure it’s “a small number”, it costs Apple almost nothing. If it refuses, we’ll know it’s not so small.
My guess: no recall, and a “new hinge” for the Duo 2
I don’t believe Apple will announce anything. It will quietly swap screens in stores, the warranty will run out, and next year it will present the iPhone Duo 2 with “a completely new, stronger hinge”. Applause in the hall. And those who paid $2,000 for the first fragile chick? They stay alone with their serial number. Remember my words.
Also on Evolt News: iPhone 20 Pro: Samsung Curved the Edges in 2014. Will It Work Every Day? · iPhone Duo Screen Cracks: iFixit Points at the Hinge. Apple Stays Silent · “A Small Number”? Then Why Did Apple Send Every Store an iPhone Duo Memo? · Apple Bullied Its Memory Suppliers. Now Karma Sends the Bill
Featured image: SimonWaldherr / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).
This article is opinion.
iPhone Duo hinge problem: FAQ
What causes the iPhone Duo screen cracks?
According to a leak from Chinese leaker Kang, shared by Ice Universe, a hinge component made of the wrong material by one of two suppliers. Apple has not confirmed it.
Is it a design flaw?
The leak says no. It says the hinge design is fine and the problem is the material of one part.
Can Apple tell which iPhone Duo units are affected?
Reportedly yes, by serial number. Apple has not said whether it will recall or replace them.
How much does it cost to replace the iPhone Duo inner screen?
$999 without AppleCare+ and $99 with it. AppleCare+ for the iPhone Duo costs $399.
What did the hinge supplier say?
Fine M-Tec denied that its parts caused the damage and said it would consider legal action against claims without proper validation.
What should I do if my iPhone Duo screen cracks?
Apple advises affected owners to contact AppleCare for a replacement.
Sources: AppleInsider, Ice Universe, Kang, iFixit, Apple.
Our Take
Blaming a part doesn’t move the responsibility away from Apple. Apple chose the supplier and approved the part, and owners still don’t know whether their own phone has it.
If Apple can find the bad units by serial number, it should tell owners and cover them for years, not wait for warranties to run out.
