Apple's first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, is experiencing widespread display failures among early buyers. The device launched last week with a $2,000 price tag, yet some units are developing permanent damage within hours or even minutes of use.
Reports indicate a hardware flaw affecting the internal OLED panel, contradicting the company's emphasis on its "precision-engineered" hinge. Users have shared images showing consistent damage patterns across multiple devices. The defects manifest as bright lines originating just below the display's midpoint and extending to the bottom and right edges. Some units also exhibit lines of dead pixels following the crease from the top down to where the bright lines begin.
The physical damage to the display layers prevents pixels from receiving correct voltage. Instead of modulating light, the affected pixels either receive full driving voltage and remain permanently lit at maximum brightness, or receive no voltage at all and appear black. This type of defect is a known failure mode for damaged OLED panels.
Replacing the screen is the only available fix. However, the cost of this repair is reportedly half the price of the iPhone Duo itself.