Within hours of the iPhone Duo going on sale, owners started posting photos of inner screens cracked from top to bottom along the fold. MacRumors first reported the problem, and the reports have come from the U.S., Australia and China. The crack sits right on the hinge, and it often comes with a bright white line of pixels on the right-hand side of the screen. One owner in Australia said it happened less than six hours after pickup, after fewer than 20 folds. They felt something shift under the screen, then heard a loud snap as they unfolded it. Some of the photos from China may show store display models that hundreds of people have handled.
Apple hasn't said anything publicly about the cracks or how many phones are affected. When that owner called Apple, the company offered an express replacement but wanted a hold for the full cost of the phone and couldn't say when it would arrive. The Apple Store replaced it with a new one on the spot. The Mac Observer reported that the standard warranty covers these failures and that buyers have 14 days to return the phone. Out of warranty, a new inner screen costs $999. Apple's new hinge support page says there's no software fix for hinge problems, and it lists the signs to watch for: a hinge that feels loose, odd noises when folding, or a phone that won't open or close all the way.