Some iPhone Duo Users Report Cracked Hinges as Durability Questions Emerge

TechRadar said the reports have appeared on Reddit and elsewhere, but they remain a small fraction relative to the number of people who have received an iPhone Duo. The report said it is not clear how widespread the problem is or how many incidents occurred during normal use. Apple did not immediately comment; TechRadar said it had contacted the company and would update its article if it heard back.

A teardown cited by TechRadar indicated that the hinge appears to be the weak link. YouTuber CuriousHagi was able to replicate the issue, but according to the report and some Reddit users, only by intentionally bending the phone backwards during a durability test. That leaves open whether most reported cracks stem from misuse, perhaps less extreme than the test, or from ordinary handling.

The report said the screens appear to break at the same point, which could point either to a design flaw in the iPhone Duo or to a defect affecting some units. A design flaw would be a larger problem for Apple, while a unit defect would be more isolated and easier to address. TechRadar said there were not yet a vast number of reported broken phones and advised users not to worry too much, while treating the foldable more gently than a standard iPhone and not bending the hinge backwards.

The launch has also been marked by high demand and shipping delays, TechRadar reported. The hinge reports add a durability concern to a device that is many buyers' first foldable, a category that is generally more fragile than standard handsets.