Apple has said it will replace iPhone Duo handsets that have developed problems with their screens, just days after its first foldable device went on sale. Apple said it is aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of units and urged affected users to contact AppleCare for a replacement.

Lines, cracks and a crunching hinge

Social media posts over the weekend showed lines and cracks on the 7.6-inch inner display along the central hinge where the phone folds, and some owners reported a crunching noise when opening the device. The Duo, which unfolds like a passport booklet, starts at £1,999 ($2,668) in the UK, with the most well-equipped models costing up to £3,199. Apple began shipping the phone last week, with initial online orders selling out in minutes.

What Apple has not said

Apple did not say how many devices are affected or what causes the damage, and it has not announced a formal repair programme or recall. Some images of faulty devices online may have been created using artificial intelligence, the BBC cautioned. Repair specialist iFixit, using teardown footage, patents and CT scans, simulated the hinge and found damage clustering below a display cable near a central support bar that might fail to drop out of the screen's way when folded, creating a small stress hotspot. Apple did not immediately comment on those findings. IDC's Francisco Jeronimo called the quick replacement offer the right first step.

Sources: Reuters, 26 October 2026; BBC via Capital FM, 27 October 2026.