Apple's first foldable iPhone is drawing almost as much attention for its cracked screens as for its launch-week sales records.

The iPhone Duo went on sale globally on Oct. 23, starting at roughly $2,000 in the U.S. (from €2,369 in Ireland), and Apple has called demand "nothing short of extraordinary" — the device reportedly sold out almost immediately, with the next available shipments not expected until January, according to Taiwan's Economic Daily. But within days, owners on multiple continents began reporting that the device's inner display was cracking near the fold, in some cases within hours of first use.

Apple has confirmed the issue is real, telling customers it is "aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units" and directing affected buyers to AppleCare for a free replacement. One Australian owner told reporters their unit cracked within six hours of ownership; Bloomberg has reported similar complaints from buyers in the United States and India. Apple maintains the problem affects only a small fraction of units and says early customer response has otherwise been "incredibly positive."

Repair specialists at iFixit have floated one possible explanation: a failing piece of the device's hinge mechanism putting pressure on the screen, rather than a flaw in the display panel itself. Some users have also flagged glare on the foldable's matte inner screen and apps that haven't yet been optimized for the unusual aspect ratio — rougher-edge complaints typical of a first-generation device, if less dramatic than an outright crack.

"QUITE COMMON" FOR A NEW PRODUCT CATEGORY.

Industry analysts are, for now, treating the reports with caution rather than alarm. IDC's Francisco Jeronimo said such early defect reports are "quite common" with first-generation hardware, drawing a comparison to Samsung's rocky 2019 launch of the original Galaxy Fold, which Samsung had to delay and redesign after reviewers' units failed within days. CCS Insight's Ben Wood said he's taking "a very cautious view," noting there's no evidence yet of a defect widespread enough to threaten the launch.

The stakes are notable for Apple beyond the usual product-cycle scrutiny: the Duo is the first major hardware launch under new CEO John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook in September. A foldable iPhone has been one of Apple's most anticipated and delayed projects for years, and any sustained quality controversy could complicate the company's push into a category where Samsung, Huawei and others already have a multi-year head start.

For now, Apple's position is that the AppleCare replacement pipeline is handling affected units and that the broader rollout is proceeding as planned. Whether complaints taper off as the device matures in the market — or build into a bigger controversy — will likely become clearer over the coming weeks as sales volume grows.

What's next: Apple hasn't said whether it will issue a broader statement or design fix beyond individual replacements; reviewers and repair sites are expected to publish teardown analyses in the coming days.