Apple tells technicians how to handle iPhone Duo display cracks
What's the story
Apple has issued new instructions to its retail stores and authorized service providers on how to handle reports of inner display cracking on the iPhone Duo. The move comes as some early buyers of Apple's first foldable iPhone have reported screen damage. According to MacRumors, the guidance was shared in an internal memo this week.
Repair procedures
What are Apple's new guidelines?
Apple has asked technicians to inspect affected devices and repair or replace them per its standard service procedures.
The company has said that only a small number of iPhone Duo units are impacted by this problem.
Earlier, it had advised customers facing display issues to reach out to AppleCare for a replacement.
User experiences
Reports of screen damage on iPhone Duo
The reports of iPhone Duo's inner display cracking started coming in soon after the device was delivered to customers.
Some users shared images of cracks and bright lines on the inner display, especially around the central hinge.
One Australian user said their screen cracked after less than 20 openings, even though there was no visible damage before that.
Hinge mechanism
Teardown points to possible hinge mechanism issue
While Apple hasn't given an explanation for the problem, a preliminary teardown by repair website iFixit suggests it could be a hinge mechanism issue.
The team used teardown footage, patents, and CT scans to create a 3D model of the hinge and compare it with reported damage.
They think a central support bar inside the hinge may not be retracting properly when folded, putting extra pressure on a small area of the inner display and causing it to crack.
Repair challenges
Fixing inner display is not an easy task
iFixit also found that fixing the iPhone Duo's inner display isn't a simple task, giving it a provisional repairability score of 5 out of 10.
They also noted that an out-of-warranty screen repair could cost $999 in the US.
As of now, Apple hasn't announced a recall or separate public repair program for this issue.