En esta noticia
Apple is facing a “Crackgate” backlash after early buyers of the iPhone Duo, its first foldable phone, reported cracked inner screens days after the release. The problem joins Antennagate and Bendgate on the list of iPhone launch flaws.
Duo owners around the world have posted photos on social media, including Reddit, showing the same horizontal crack across the 7.6-inch inner display. It sits about two-thirds of the way down when the phone is open. Apple has not said how many devices are affected.
The Duo starts at $1,999 and is the biggest redesign in the iPhone’s nearly 20-year history. It arrives seven years after Samsung’s first Galaxy Fold.
It is also an early test for CEO John Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook in September and holds his first earnings call Nov. 2. Samsung has already run an ad pitching its own foldables as thinner, lighter and years ahead.
What should iPhone Duo owners do about Crackgate?
Apple says owners with display problems should contact AppleCare, its support and repair service, for a replacement. “We are aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units,” the company said.
Apple’s optional AppleCare+ and AppleCare One plans cover manufacturing defects with no service fee, while accidental damage carries a fee. Apple hasn’t said what owners without a plan will pay, and it hasn’t announced a recall.
So far, the cause seems to be unknown.
Foldable screens have failed before. Some review units of Samsung’s first Galaxy Fold broke in 2019. Ternus has said Apple waited to enter the market so it could get the display and hinge right.
How does Crackgate compare with Antennagate and Bendgate?
In 2010, iPhone 4 owners found that holding the phone a certain way weakened the signal and dropped calls. Then-CEO Steve Jobs first suggested users were holding it wrong, and Apple later gave away free bumper cases.
In 2014, Bendgate complaints claimed the aluminum bodies of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus could bend, even inside a pocket. Apple called such cases extremely rare.
Documents released in a 2018 lawsuit showed Apple’s own tests had found the iPhone 6 was 3.3 times more likely to bend than the iPhone 5s, and the 6 Plus 7.2 times more likely. Apple moved to stronger aluminum for the iPhone 6s but denied a link to bending.
This time, Apple acknowledged the problem within days.
Which other Apple launch flaws came before Crackgate?
Several of Apple’s best-known launch flaws came from software, services and laptops:
- MobileMe (2008): Apple’s first cloud syncing service launched with outages, failed syncs and slow performance. iCloud later replaced it.
- Apple Maps (2012): Apple’s own maps app, which replaced Google Maps in iOS 6, was full of errors. Apple apologized and pointed users to rival apps.
- Butterfly keyboard (2015): Apple’s ultrathin laptop keys often stuck or stopped working. Apple ran a repair program, apologized in 2019 and returned to a scissor-style design.
Crackgate is also the second problem tied to Apple’s 2026 iPhones. Earlier this year, some AT&T customers who bought the iPhone 18 Pro Max permanently lost cellular service. Apple released a software fix to keep the problem from spreading.