Leaker Says Defective Hinge Parts Behind iPhone Duo Screen Cracks

Some iPhone Duo owners have reported inner screens breaking for no obvious reason, a problem dubbed “crackgate.” A leaker now claims Apple has traced it to defective materials at one of its two hinge suppliers, not to the hinge design. The claim is unconfirmed, and Apple has not publicly named a cause.

Apple has said only that “only a small number of iPhone Duo units” are affected. It is offering free device replacements to Duo users with cracked screens, according to Tom’s Guide.

What the leak says

The claim comes from a Weibo user named Kang, relayed by the leaker Ice Universe. Kang says the cause is “defective materials” in hinges from one supplier. A design fault would likely have hit more Duo units, which is the reasoning behind the idea that this is a supplier problem.

Kang also says Apple can pick out the affected phones by serial number. That would let the company act before a screen breaks. What Apple plans to do with the affected batch is unclear.

How many phones are affected is unknown

Tom’s Guide notes that the scale is hard to judge. Supply of the Duo appears limited, so the total number of owners is unclear. Social media posts can also give a distorted picture of how many screens have actually broken. Apple’s “small number” statement is the only official figure of any kind, and it gives no count.

It is also unknown how many units were built with the suspect hinges, so it is not clear whether the fix will affect delivery times for people still waiting on an order.

What Apple is offering now

Apple is skipping standard repair wait times and giving free replacements for Duo units with cracked screens under the standard manufacturing warranty. Owners do not need a paid AppleCare+ plan to qualify for a replacement for this specific problem.

Tom’s Guide floated two possible approaches: a serial number checker that tells owners whether their phone has one of the faulty hinges, or waiting for screens to fail and then arranging repairs or replacements. Apple has not said which, if either, it will use.

Why it matters

The Duo is Apple’s first foldable, and the cause of the cracks decides what buyers can expect. If the leak is right, a design flaw is not behind the failures, and people still waiting for a Duo should receive a working unit. For people who already own one, it is unclear what happens next.

Posts on social media say a raised bump appears on the hinge before the screen breaks. Tom’s Guide says anyone who sees that, or anything else unusual, should contact Apple or visit an Apple Store. The bump claim comes from social media and is not confirmed by Apple.

Source: Tom's Guide