'Crackgate': Apple's foldable iPhone sees reports of cracked screens after launch

Summary written by the Panorama newsroom from the sources listed below. Facts are attributed to the original publications.

Apple's first foldable iPhone, the Duo, has stumbled right out of the gate. According to a Financial Times report published by Folha, users reported broken screens a few days after sales began on October 23, and the phenomenon has already been nicknamed "Crackgate."

Social media posts from different parts of the world show devices with the same horizontal crack at the top of the screen when the device is open. Apple acknowledged the problem and said it is aware of a defect in the inner screen of "a small number of units," directing customers to contact AppleCare to request a replacement.

The real extent of the defect is still unclear, and the company has not announced a recall of any of its foldable devices, a step that would be unusual in its history, according to the text.

The episode is seen as a rare defeat for a company that builds much of its reputation on hardware quality, and a blow to new CEO John Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook last month. The report recalls "Antennagate" in 2010, when the iPhone 4 was accused of losing signal and Apple ended up handing out protective cases for free.

Investors hope Ternus will give new momentum to the company's launch roadmap, and he had his first quarterly earnings call ahead of him.