While Apple’s first foldable has earned high marks for battery repairability, a host of screen issues have emerged. A growing number of iPhone Duo owners are reporting inner screen failures, and we may finally know the reason thanks to iFixit's latest teardown.
iPhone Duo's Screen Woes Get Analysed
According to these early adopters, the iPhone Duo issue typically begins with a noticeable crunching noise during the folding or unfolding process, immediately followed by permanent bright lines corrupting the inner display panel.
To determine exactly what is breaking inside the device, experts at iFixit, using high-resolution CT scans and 3D modelling, analysed the device's internal geometry. Their investigation revealed that these display failures are not random.
They consistently occur in the same location. The damage is concentrated at a point where the flex cable connecting the two halves of the phone meets the central hinge support. iFixit has highlighted two primary suspects for the display issues.
The first potential culprit is a central support bar that is engineered to retract as the chassis closes. If this bar fails to properly pull back, it can apply immense, concentrated pressure directly onto the folding screen.
The second possibility involves the curved rails that guide the hinge's waterdrop folding motion. During the folding action, these metal rails rise above the surrounding components. If they do not follow their intended path perfectly, they can interfere with the delicate display layers.
Because multiple structural edges converge at this specific flex point, even a microscopic mechanical misalignment can result in a broken screen.
Besides general user reports, the iPhone Duo was also durability tested by Zach from JerryRigEverything. iFixit's report highlighting the entryway for dust was proven true in the video, followed by the bend test, where the Duo's screen corrupted in the same way iFixit's and user findings have mentioned so far.
Therefore, it should be interesting to see how Apple fixes these with its second-generation iPhone Duo. Considering how well the Cupertino giant's first foldable iPhone has been selling so far, we can expect a 2nd generation for sure.
Apple is yet to comment on these display issues of the iPhone Duo at the time of writing. As and when they do, we will be sure to keep you updated. So stay tuned for all the details.
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