Users of the iPhone Duo, the tech giant's first foldable smart phone, have been reporting a series of notable hardware problems unique to its build, such as screen cracks, hinge damage as well as crunching noise when folding the device, along with cracks and glowing lines along the crease where the device folds, as per reports on Monday.
Some iPhone Duo owners experienced screen damage with multiple bright lines obscuring parts of the phone's display after they folded their smartphone, using it as intended.
Repair Costs
Repairs for the iPhone Duo under the Apple limited waranty will be undertaken for free. This is not the case if the device is not covered under the warranty's conditions with repairs costing up to almost Rs 225,000, as per Apple's official website. . Ifixit called the device, the most repairable foldable smartphone, scoring it a 5 out of 10, the highest score they have given a foldable variant.
The cheapest repair job for the device is Rs 5,900 for cover layer damage. Repairs to rear camera damage costs Rs 26,900, battery servicing retails at Rs 24,900. Apple charges Rs 42,900 to fix outer display damage and Rs 149,900 for inner display damage. Below is a breakdown of all the servicing costs that Duo users may incur in order to get their device repaired.
| Type Of Damage | Estimated Repair Cost |
|---|---|
| Cover layer damage | Rs 5,900 |
| Back glass damage | Rs 20,900 |
| Battery service | Rs 24,900 |
| Rear camera damage | Rs 26,900 |
| Outer display damage | Rs 42,900 |
| Outer display and back glass damage | Rs 55,900 |
| Inner display damage | Rs 149,900 |
| Other damage | Rs 224,900 |
Out of the list, inner display damage and hinge repair are substantially expensive servicing jobs, amid early reports of screen damage and failure.
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Possible Reasons For The Damage
There is no definitive explanation for the recent cases of damage as of yet. However, iFixit, who took apart the device to understand its mechanisms better, stated that the likely culprit might be a central support bar of the phone's hinge, that does not retract properly when the device folds shut.
The device stores a part of its flexible screen into a curved space within the phone's hinge as it folds, which has been dubbed the 'waterdrop' approach. The hinge has a series of gears, springs and metal joints to facilitate folding.
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