Apple acknowledges screen defect on $1,999 foldable iPhone Duo

what happened

Apple's first foldable model, the $1,999 iPhone Duo, went on sale Friday to queues and strong pre-orders. Early buyers, however, are already reporting bright horizontal lines on the inner display that spread out from the hinge.

On Monday Apple said it was aware of the issue, which it described as affecting a small number of units. Affected devices will be replaced under the AppleCare warranty. Outside warranty, Apple's website lists an inner-screen repair at $999.

The report comes from Seeking Alpha. Samsung faced a similar display problem in 2019 with its first foldable phone, the Galaxy Fold.

why it matters

For investors the key issue is not the repairs themselves but the financial and reputational effect: warranty replacements can add costs to a new product and weigh on its first impression. The launch also tests whether Apple can establish itself in the foldable segment, where rivals already have experience. The scale of the problem will become clearer as sales and service requests accumulate.

market impact

Apple (AAPL): possible warranty costs and reputational risk for a new product line

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