iFixit Identifies Possible Cause of Cracks on iPhone Duo Screen

The iFixit service disassembled the first foldable iPhone Duo and rated the device 5 out of 10 for repairability. This is not a very high score, but the best result the site has ever given to foldable devices. The external display is easily removable, and many components are accessible without full disassembly. Both batteries are removed using a 9-volt battery connected via terminals to the mounts: this eliminates the laborious extraction of glued-in batteries.

The matte nano-textured coating of the internal screen improves readability in bright sunlight and helps hide the crease by diffusing reflections. Under the microscope, iFixit also found oval subpixels arranged at different angles.

Why screens break

Users report a thin horizontal crack line from the right edge of the device to the center, from where the crack continues vertically. According to iFixit, a cable runs under the horizontal line connecting the halves of the iPhone Duo. The vertical line is at the point where this cable enters the other half and where the movable support is located, which should aid folding. At the intersection of the lines, many different components converge, making it difficult to find a single cause.

The current iFixit theory: the movable support is malfunctioning. Due to a mechanical defect, manufacturing error, or contamination inside, it does not retract enough to give the screen space when folding. As a result, the display presses on the hinge at one point and breaks at vulnerable spots. Complaints about cracked screens appeared within hours of release: users reported a loud crack after several folds.

Repair and compensation

Affected users are offered a replacement device by Apple. If the issue arises after the warranty period, repairs may be costly: replacing the internal display of the iPhone Duo, according to Apple's repair page, costs €1,149.