Apple offers replacements for iPhone Duo screen failures

Apple said Monday that a small number of iPhone Duo phones have an inner-display problem and advised affected owners to contact AppleCare for a replacement. The statement followed reports from customers whose foldable phones developed cracks or other screen damage along the crease soon after purchase. Apple did not disclose how many units are affected or identify a cause. In a follow-up comment reported by Mark Gurman, the company said most Duo units are not susceptible to the issue and that defects appear shortly after first use. Apple’s replacement guidance applies to users who experience display problems. Customers have described cracks, bright lines and dead pixels near the fold. Bloomberg reported independently verifying damage with more than half a dozen customers through interviews and evidence they provided, including photographs and support conversations. Some owners said the damage appeared within hours or days of buying the phone. Those accounts do not establish how prevalent the problem is across all devices. A report based on conversations with staff at 20 U.S. Apple Genius Bars identified four affected units in that group. The report said it had no data from...