iFixit teardown identifies hinge stress as likely cause of iPhone Duo screen cracks
A teardown by iFixit suggests that the hinge design of Apple's iPhone Duo creates a pressure hotspot that may be responsible for early screen cracking reported by users.
iFixit’s recent teardown of Apple’s first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, highlights several design choices aimed at reducing the visibility of the device’s central crease. The handset employs a matte screen layer over a glossy OLED panel and uses oval-shaped pixels, a patented technique intended to lessen diffraction artifacts.
Despite these measures, users have reported audible grating noises and screen cracks after only a few folds. The failures typically originate just below the hinge’s center and often include a horizontal line of broken pixels extending to the right. A Reddit megathread has compiled numerous reports of this issue, which has been dubbed “Crackgate.”
While shipment damage can affect a small percentage of units, the consistent location of the cracks points to a pressure hotspot created by the hinge mechanism. The matte screen, although helpful in masking the crease, reduces contrast and can appear less vibrant from side angles compared to glossy displays on competing foldables such as the Samsung Z Fold8.