The iPhone Duo went on sale just over a week ago and we didn’t have to wait long to see the first flaws. In addition to optimized third-party apps, some logical and it will be resolved, the first weekend saw users who shared photos of broken screens on their devices. They all had the same breakdown pattern and the mechanism that could be at fault was soon identified.
Now it seems they have already found that piece.
what happened. At first it was on Reddit, but then it spread. Several users have reported that, on first use, the brand new iPhone Duo broke. There are units that come out with factory defects, it doesn’t matter if it’s a new generation, it’s common because millions are produced and it’s normal for some to go under the quality test radar, but the pattern here was rare.
A horizontal line of dead pixels on the right side of the inner screen and a vertical line on the hinge that could be more or less visible, but was present. What’s interesting about the matter is that this horizontal line was the same across all models with broken screens, leading us to think that perhaps there was more behind it than a quality control issue in a batch.
criminal. iFixit soon produced a video, using x-rays and simulations, of the likely culprit part. They commented that there was a structural reinforcement to keep the central area stable when we extended the screen, but when it folded, it created a lot of tension in the panels and connections, which could eventually cause malfunctions.
Now, a South Korean YouTuber has pulled off the X-ray and shared this video so we can see part of the question:
iFixit has created another video to back up what the YouTuber says and provides images that show how, with the screen off, you can see the part that’s causing the malfunction on some units. The device repair media specialist has confirmed the South Korean YouTuber’s video, providing new simulations and scanners that let us see how the part works and how it causes malfunctions.
the rush. The media itself has commented that it is too early to talk about how many units are affected, since there are not many on the market, and there is no venture to say that this is a widespread design failure as was the case with the original Xbox 360, the 2017 MacBook’s butterfly keyboard or the Galaxy Note 7, but it is affecting a certain number of models.
Via the GSM arena, we can read a report by Chinese media Zimian News in which an anonymous Foxconn employee commented that Apple will reduce its quality inspection standards in order to have as many units as possible in time for both the launch and the Christmas campaign, which is in jeopardy. That employee also commented that the iPhone Duo production line
This is not the first rush to release a foldable iPhone. In early September, before the foldable was unveiled, Nikkei Asia noted that Apple wasn’t able to make all the foldables it wanted. In fact, it was said that this was not a design or material problem, but rather the result of self-imposed demanding levels of quality.
consequences. We don’t know if they’ve been seen up to their necks in water, but the truth is that if you go to Apple’s website today to pick one up, the date they give you to pick it up is months away. January 25, to be exact, so they missed the juicy Christmas campaign.
Out of stock, the most direct consequence, is a potential reputational crisis if the number of affected mobile phones increases. The hinge is the most complex component of a folding device and a design flaw in it is not something that can be solved overnight.
That’s what Apple says. The company maintains the initial statement it made earlier in the week:
“We are aware of an issue affecting the internal display of a small number of iPhone Duo units. If users are experiencing issues with the display on their iPhone Duo, they should contact AppleCare for a replacement.”
For our part, we have asked Apple directly as we update information about the protagonist of this story and will update as soon as we receive news. We didn’t have any issues with the iPhone Duo in our review, but if you’re interested in buying one, I’d wait and see what happens.
Picture | Curious Curious Haggy
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