The spate of iPhone Duo screen issues has allegedly been traced to a material problem at a hinge component supplier, rather than a design flaw with the hinge itself. Apple put significant work into designing the ideal hinge for the iPhone Duo, only to deal with reports of the hinge repeatedly failing in one specific place. According to Chinese leaker Kang, reposted by Ice Universe, the hinge issues are due to the materials used for a specific component.
This component is sourced from two suppliers. A serial number can help Apple identify which units are affected by the bad components. However, it remains unclear if Apple will use it to recall devices or provide replacements.
The discovery of component failure for an important mechanism in Apple's highest-profile device launch of the year is unfortunate. Catching the issue early is helpful to Apple versus it surfacing later, since it can fix the problem earlier. Early teardowns and social media reports indicated that the screen would fail at the center crease of the hinge.
Images showed many claims appeared at the same general area of the display, pointing to some form of hinge problem. A closer examination by a YouTuber showed that one component had sheared completely, causing the damage. The component was a plate used to support the foldable OLED display during folding and unfolding.
The investigation showed heavy crush marks on a nearby mechanism that may have played a part in the breakage. An impact mark was also found under the display, possibly caused by the broken hinge element making contact. The affair led to Apple hinge component supplier Fine M-Tec releasing a statement denying blame for the issue.
It insisted that the damage wasn't caused by defects in its components and that it would consider legal action against complaints without proper validation. Apple acknowledged the social media reports on October 26, advising affected consumers to contact Apple Care for a replacement. Social media reports and blog posts can make problems seem more widespread than they really are, making it unclear exactly how many instances exist.
The problem is probably smaller than reports may indicate.
Source: AppleInsider · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing