Some early iPhone Duo owners have reported cracked inner screens within hours of receiving Apple's foldable phone, with firsthand accounts describing damage near the hinge. The reports surfaced around its October 23 launch. They establish that buyers are reporting problems, but do not establish how common the damage is or what caused it.
The posts describe a crack during setup and a dark line along the crease after several hours. These are individual accounts, not a measured failure rate. Dalimss News has not inspected the devices or independently reviewed their service records.
What the owners actually reported
In an October 23 Reddit post, the Australian owner said the phone had been in use for about six hours and had been opened fewer than 20 times. While showing it to a friend, the owner felt something beneath the screen near the internal hinge, then heard a crack as the phone opened further.
The owner reported receiving a replacement at an Apple Store after initially being offered express replacement with a full-value payment hold. This account is not a replacement promise for every buyer.
A subreddit moderator subsequently said the owner had supplied additional photographs and Apple documentation. The moderator said those materials reasonably substantiated the damaged device and subsequent service or replacement, but explicitly did not verify the cause. That distinction matters: the forum's verification label is not an engineering diagnosis from Apple or an independent laboratory.
A separate post visible on October 24 described a screen cracking before setup was complete. That owner estimated having folded the phone four times and said the hinge became tight before making a loud pop when pushed further. In a comment, the poster identified their location as Dallas, Texas. The account gives a different sequence of events and should not be treated as proof of the same underlying fault.
A third owner, describing a Night Sky 512GB model, reported cracking or discolouration and a black line around the crease after roughly six hours. The poster said Apple Support had arranged an express replacement, with its arrival time still unknown. There is no independently verified completion of that replacement in the account reviewed for this report.
No established cause or failure rate
The available accounts cannot show whether the damage reflects a shared manufacturing problem, isolated faults or different circumstances. Photographs and descriptions of similar-looking damage do not establish an identical cause. Nor do these posts provide the total number of devices in use against which complaints could be compared. Claims that the model has a widespread design defect go beyond this evidence.
For Indian buyers, the reports concern a phone now on sale locally. Apple's India store lists the 256GB iPhone Duo at Rs 2,99,900, price as of October 24, 2026, 5:58 PM IST. Our earlier coverage explains the October 23 India sale and pricing. The overseas reports alone do not establish that an Indian customer's device is affected.
How service works in India
Apple's India repair guidance says its limited warranty covers manufacturing issues for one year from purchase, while accidental damage is excluded. Coverage therefore depends on the problem and assessment, not simply on whether a photograph resembles one posted online. Consumer-law rights apply separately where relevant.
Apple says technicians at a Genius Bar or Apple Authorised Service Provider can inspect an iPhone and explain the available options. Inspection determines the final service fee, and authorised providers can issue their own estimates. Service availability also depends on location and parts. Apple guarantees service and replacement parts for 90 days or the remaining warranty term, whichever is longer. This does not establish coverage for a particular damaged device. The Australian owner's reported same-day exchange should not be read as an assured turnaround in India.
Readers should also distinguish a service request for a faulty device from a change-of-mind return. Our coverage of Apple Store India's return rules explains that distinction. At this stage, the confirmed story is a set of attributed early-owner complaints and reported service responses. A broader conclusion about the iPhone Duo's durability would require evidence these posts do not supply.
