Apple has offered to replace some of its new foldable iPhone Duo handsets after users reported screen defects, just days after the highly anticipated smartphone went on sale.
The technology company confirmed that a small number of devices had developed problems with their inner displays, following reports and photographs shared on social media showing lines across the screens.
Apple, which launched the device at a starting price of £1,999 ($2,668) in the United Kingdom, advised affected customers to contact the company for replacements.
Some users have also reported cracks along the central crease of the folding display, while others complained of a crunching sound when opening the phone.
One owner, Justin Lokos, posted a photograph showing lines across the right side of his device before sharing another image of its replacement. He thanked an Apple store in New York for helping him resolve the problem.
However, the full extent of the reported defects remains unknown, as Apple has not disclosed the number of affected devices.
There are also questions about the authenticity of some images circulating online, with the possibility that some may have been generated using artificial intelligence.
Technology analyst Francisco Jeronimo of market research firm IDC cautioned against drawing broad conclusions about the quality of the entire production run based on the early reports.
Nevertheless, he said the complaints highlighted the challenges facing even established manufacturers, noting that “even a company with Apple’s engineering resources and supply chain discipline faces a steep learning curve in foldables”.
The iPhone Duo features a 7.6-inch (19.3cm) internal display connected by a central hinge, a component that presents engineering challenges for manufacturers of foldable smartphones.
Samsung encountered similar difficulties in 2019 when its first foldable phone, the Galaxy Fold, suffered screen problems reported by reviewers.
Apple’s new device is its most expensive iPhone to date, with prices reaching £3,199 for the highest-specification models.
Jeronimo said the company’s handling of the early complaints could influence consumer confidence, particularly because Apple had positioned the handset as a premium competitor in the foldable phone market.
“Apple has a loyal customer base and a retail network that can swap devices on the spot, but with a further 28 markets launching on 30 October, it needs to clarify its warranty position quickly,” he said.
The iPhone Duo represents Apple’s first major redesign of the iPhone in almost two decades.
Unveiled by the company’s new chief executive, John Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook in September, the device resembles a wider conventional iPhone when closed but opens into a screen similar to a small tablet.
Ternus previously said the product would “redefine the experience of using a foldable phone”.
