Apple has lowered some of the quality control requirements for the production of the foldable iPhone Duo to increase deliveries before the holiday season, claims Chinese publication Jiemian News. The same source indicates that a “batch of components“ has already been replaced on the production line, but the current quality control standards have not been changed. Thus, two different claims remain in the distributed information: that there was previously some easing of checks due to pressure on production, and that after the changes, the current criteria have not changed. Apple continues to prioritize the availability of the iPhone Duo in stores before the holiday season. According to the publication, the company has set a goal of shipping 7.5 million units by the end of the year.
The production pressure comes amid reports of damage to the phone's internal display. Some owners describe a crack in the area of the fold, and in some cases a sound resembling a crack is heard before it appears. Apple confirmed that it is aware of the issue, but described it as affecting a "small number of iPhone Duo devices". The company stated: "If customers are experiencing issues with the display of their iPhone Duo, they should contact AppleCare for a replacement." When disassembling a damaged device, it found a broken connecting element of the internal hinge mechanism. The part is located behind the middle area of the internal display and appears thinner than other elements of the structure.
According to the analysis, this component may be related to the sound of the failure and the subsequent damage to the screen. However, the assumption has not been confirmed by Apple, and the published cases do not prove by themselves that this is a system defect.