Apple Admits iPhone Duo Screens Crack. “A Small Number”? Then Show Us the Number

Apple has commented for the first time on reports of cracked inner displays on the iPhone Duo. In a statement to MacRumors and 9to5Mac on October 26, the company said: “We are aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units.” Owners who are affected should contact AppleCare for a replacement.

Before it gets to the problem, the statement says the early response from customers has been “incredibly positive” and praises developers for adapting their apps to the new device. Apple did not say how many units are affected, what causes the cracks, or whether it is changing anything in production. According to MacRumors, replacement units are limited, so some owners have to wait.

The cracks appear along the hinge on the lower half of the inner display, often after a stuck feeling and a popping sound when opening the phone. Days earlier, iFixit’s teardown pointed to a possible cause: a center support bar in the hinge that may not retract the way it should.

What Apple said	What Apple did not say
It is aware of an issue with the inner display	How many units are affected
It affects “a small number” of iPhone Duo units	What causes the cracks
Affected owners should contact AppleCare	Whether the replacement is free without AppleCare+
Early customer response is “incredibly positive”	Whether anything changes in production

In this article: First the praise, then the problem · “A small number”? Then tell us the number · The hinge you were so proud of · Why Apple won’t say the word “hinge” · Replace it for everyone, not only for AppleCare+ · “The photos are made with AI” · Please wait. There are no parts · My advice · FAQ

First the praise, then the problem

In one word: I don’t believe it. I can’t imagine that the people who bought the Duo praise it as much as Apple says. And what fascinates me is how Apple handles this. First it tells us how incredibly perfect everything is, and only then it starts talking about the fact that it knows about a problem. On a phone this expensive, that is really the peak.

And look at some news sites, they do the same. Even 9to5Mac opened its report with the praise first and the problem after. Maybe it is just PR. Maybe they got some guidelines from Apple about what they can write and what not. But for God’s sake, Apple, why don’t you just tell the truth? The thing you praised the most is exactly the thing you screwed up.

“A small number”? Then tell us the number

You say you know there is a problem with a small number of units. What is that supposed to mean? Why don’t you say a number that would prove what you claim? All you can do is defend yourselves, and you defend yourselves as if you were talking to idiots.

And let’s not forget one thing. When Apple says it is a small number of units, the number of phones in people’s hands is small too. Only the first wave of orders is out. People who pre-ordered will wait for months, many of them until January. So the phone has been with customers for a few days, and it already cracks. Apple talks to us like children, and we are supposed to believe how incredible it is for the few people who got the first Duo.

The hinge you were so proud of

I am talking about your mega good hinge with over 100 parts. Someone hears a crack, someone else gets a damaged display out of nothing, right where the hinge is. Everything points to one thing: maybe those 100 parts don’t have enough glue or screws to hold firmly, something gives way and it destroys the display. iFixit even found a possible problem in the hinge, and Apple did not say a word about it. That really drives me crazy.

In my opinion, the biggest disaster and the Achilles’ heel of the Duo is exactly what Apple sold us as its know-how: the hinge, and the display itself, which is soft at the place where it folds. After a few months of use, I think it will look horrible.

Why Apple won’t say the word “hinge”

Apple did not say that the problem is in the hinge, and you know why? Because if it says so, it means it can happen to anyone. That would be admitting that the Duo is a complete fiasco. People would cancel their pre-orders, and the shareholders, who were promised mountains of gold with the Duo, would not be happy. The stock rose a few days ago and Apple became number one on the market. It can fall just as fast.

So be prepared: if Apple doesn’t fix the hinge, this can happen to anyone, at any time. I don’t believe a single word about “a small number of units”. Greed is coming out from everywhere. Nobody believes it, and even though Apple knows the hinge can destroy the display, it still keeps the phone on sale.

Replace it for everyone, not only for AppleCare+

Apple definitely has to replace the phone for people who don’t pay for AppleCare+ too. There has to be some warranty, otherwise it is exactly like what the carriers do.

And if you bought your Duo through a carrier, good luck. From my experience, carriers are crooks in this: they blame the customer and refuse to admit any defect. “You opened it wrong.” For a two-thousand-dollar phone? Then put a manual in the box that tells us how to open it. That would be a real joke.

“The photos are made with AI”

And here, again, someone defends Apple by saying that part of the photos were generated with AI. My God. People, you can defend anything from Apple, just so that nobody opens your eyes and shows you the truth. You are afraid you will be disappointed.

I believe the photos are real and not generated by AI. And honestly, it doesn’t even matter. Apple itself just admitted that the problem exists. I am sure the problem is in the hinge, and Apple is only afraid to say it out loud, so people don’t cancel their pre-orders and the shareholders don’t get embarrassed.

Please wait. There are no parts

And the replacement of the damaged units, that is also nice from Apple. It sold defective units, and now it says you have to wait, because there are no parts. Really, very nice. People are waiting for their pre-orders, and at the same time the people who got a defective unit will wait for a phone just as long as everyone else. That is really fair from Apple. Absolutely beautiful.

My advice

I definitely don’t recommend buying the Duo until we learn the whole truth. Apple knows more than it says. Until it tells us what breaks the display and whether it fixed the hinge, I would keep my money in my pocket.

Also on Evolt News: iPhone Duo screens crack, AppleCare · iPhone Duo fails the JerryRigEverything test

Photo: Apple.

This article is opinion.

iPhone Duo cracked screens: FAQ

What did Apple say about the iPhone Duo cracked screens?

In a statement to MacRumors and 9to5Mac on October 26, 2026, Apple said it is “aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units” and that affected owners should contact AppleCare for a replacement.

How many iPhone Duo units are affected?

Apple did not give a number. It only said “a small number of units”.

What causes the iPhone Duo inner display to crack?

Apple has not said. The cracks appear along the hinge, and an iFixit teardown pointed to a center hinge support bar that may not retract properly as a possible cause.

Is the iPhone Duo screen replacement free?

Apple has not published a clear policy. It tells affected owners to contact AppleCare. Without warranty coverage, the inner display costs $999 to replace, according to JerryRigEverything.

Should I buy the iPhone Duo now?

I would wait until Apple explains what causes the cracks and whether the hinge has been fixed in newer units.

Sources: Apple, MacRumors, 9to5Mac, iFixit, JerryRigEverything, MacRumors Forums.

Our Take

Apple finally admitted that the iPhone Duo inner display cracks. But it started with praise, gave no number, named no cause, and left owners waiting for parts.

“A small number” means nothing when only the first wave of buyers has the phone. Everything points to the hinge. Until Apple says the truth, I would not buy the Duo.