The cause behind a repeating pattern may have been discovered as a very small amount of cracks were discovered on the iPhone Duo’s screen, with a failed hinge element believed to be the cause of the major damage.
Since the launch of the iPhone Duo, broken screens have been spotted within hours of its release. While childhood device failures are to be expected for major product launches, there is some consistency in how the screen itself breaks.
Looking at videos like JerryRigEverything’s “test” and Reddit posts shows that the screen cracks in a fairly typical way when under stress. In many cases the defect develops along the fold line and extends horizontally to the edge.
The screen itself is expected to break during bending, but there is also another component that could be the cause. If a video from YouTuber CuriousHagi is to be believed, a faulty zipper could be the cause.
During his tests, which involved a lot of dirt and stress on the screen by bending the hinge backwards, he tried closing the iPhone Duo, but it wouldn’t close. He then tried to reopen it from its partially closed state, only to hear a loud pop.
As in other cases, the screen shows a large white problem from the crease to one of the sides. However, the YouTuber went further and took apart the damaged iPhone Duo to find out the cause.
After tearing off the display, he carefully inspected the hinge mechanism and discovered an element that had been cut in the same place where the crack in the screen had originated. It appears to be a hinge element that connects to a top support plate.
It is pointed out that the zipper in question is a little thinner than the zippers above and below, making it more likely to break. Furthermore, further inspection of the hinge shows heavy crush marks on a nearby mechanism which may have played a role.
The bottom of the display also has what appears to be an impact mark, likely caused by contact with the broken hinge element. The most logical outcome is that the hinge didn’t engage properly, the section cut off and hit the display, breaking it.
Still a small scale problem
While screen failures have been reported, as well as common elements that indicate they suffer from a specific issue, this is still a limited issue for Apple. There isn’t a big online outcry yet about breaking screens in any particular way.
That said, for now post-launch, this is still a very small-scale issue.
A broken hinge element in the iPhone Duo – Image credit: CuriousHagi/YouTube
On October 24th, AppleInsider verified with sources we’ve worked with for over 15 years, inside Apple Genius bars in seven stores. Four of these stores are major flagships.
At the time, none of the stores surveyed had seen any devices being repaired or returned due to broken screens. A secondary check late Sunday revealed that there is only one case across all stores.
The number will increase over time, but it is not yet clear whether per capita will. So far the problem is not as widespread as the sensationalist videos suggest.
We remind you that it is not advisable to abuse the iPhone Duo hinge by bending it backwards, even out of curiosity, unless you are willing to pay for the repair.
And, if yours breaks, report it to Apple. They don’t listen to Reddit or social media.
