Apple's debut foldable iPhone Duo faced immediate backlash after users reported broken screens days after release, a phenomenon dubbed "Crackgate". The growing social media furore represents a rare hardware setback for the company and a challenge for new CEO John Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook last month. Apple acknowledged a "small number" of devices had broken following the Duo's Friday release, advising affected users to contact Apple Care for replacement.
Reports show horizontal cracks appearing about two-thirds down the screen when open, evoking memories of the 2010 "Antennagate" controversy. While the scale of the issue remains unclear, analysts suggest it points to possible hinge tolerance problems. The $2,000 device marks Apple's biggest iPhone design change in nearly 20 years.
Industry expert Francisco Jeronimo of International Data Corporation noted even Apple faces a steep learning curve in foldables. Samsung quickly capitalised on the opportunity, launching ads claiming to be "years ahead in foldables". Early buyers have faced delivery delays due to unprecedented demand.
The issues follow earlier iPhone launch problems this year.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing