The internal display failure controversy surrounding Apple's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo—dubbed "Crackgate"—is shaking consumer purchase intent. In a survey of its own readers conducted by tech outlet Android Authority after the iPhone Duo's launch, 39.7% of 2,093 respondents said they had abandoned plans to buy the device because screen breakage and other durability issues had eroded their trust in the product.
Another 29.5% said they had never considered buying it in the first place due to durability concerns. Combined, 69.2% of respondents cited durability as a reason to steer clear of the purchase. Only 12.8% said they expect the problems to be fixed in the next model. The survey, however, polled the outlet's own readers, so it is difficult to view it as representative of overall consumer purchase intent, and its impact on actual sales has yet to be confirmed.
The controversy began as users who received the device posted a string of internal screen breakage cases online. On the overseas community Reddit and on social media, users reported that within hours of receiving their devices, black lines or colored bands appeared in the center of the internal display and parts of the screen stopped working properly. Some cases involved the same phenomenon appearing during initial setup.
Pressure from components around the hinge or the internal structure has been cited as a possible cause, but the exact scope of the defect and its root cause still require further confirmation. Device teardown specialist iFixit and the IT YouTube channel JerryRigEverything have also raised structural durability concerns with the foldable display.
Repair costs are another factor fueling consumer complaints. Out-of-warranty internal display repairs are reportedly running about $1,000 (~1.3 million won). Apple has acknowledged that internal display problems occurred in some units and said it will respond by replacing affected devices free of charge.
The problem is that Apple's response has varied from case to case. According to tech outlet PhoneArena, one user noticed a bulge protruding from the bottom of the display and contacted Apple, and during the consultation was told the issue appeared to be a manufacturing defect and that a replacement would be arranged. But when the user requested the expedited replacement service under AppleCare Plus, Apple replied that it could not be provided because there were too many repair requests. The user was also told they might have to wait until as late as January of next year to receive a new device.
Apple subsequently changed its position, saying a replacement within the warranty period was not possible and that the user should use the paid replacement option. After additional phone calls, the user was able to obtain an expedited replacement, but only after an ordeal in which Apple initially demanded a 79-pound (~140,000 won) deductible before waiving it.
Apple explains that only a small number of devices are affected, yet says expedited replacements are difficult because of the volume of repair requests—prompting criticism that its stance is contradictory. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has noted that what Apple calls a "small number" could mean thousands of units. With prominent tech creator MKBHD publicly criticizing the iPhone Duo and the Crackgate controversy piling on top, the product is enduring growing pains from the very start of its launch.
The episode shows that Apple, entering the foldable market for the first time, faces the challenge of durability. Because foldable displays fold, managing stress between the hinge and the panel is critical, and if defects are confirmed in early production batches, the burden on brand trust and warranty policy as a whole could grow. If complaints spread that AppleCare Plus subscribers are not properly receiving promised benefits, the credibility of the premium service will inevitably take a hit as well.
Market observers say Apple needs to disclose the number of defective units more transparently and overhaul its replacement and repair response system. For Apple, which aims to expand its foldable lineup, the early quality controversy could weigh on its future lineup expansion strategy.
