Apple's first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, drew a wave of criticism from international media almost immediately after its launch, with reviewers raising concerns over screen creasing, steep repair costs and delivery wait times stretching beyond 80 days.
Foreign media reports Friday centered on the iPhone Duo's folding display, prolonged shipping times and repair bills that rival the device's purchase price.
Tech outlet Android Authority took aim at Apple's nano-texture anti-glare coating on the inner display, saying it "reduces light reflections and makes the crease less visible, but colors appear somewhat washed out and the overall impression is less sharp compared to a standard glossy screen, resulting in lower perceived clarity."
German tech publication Notebookcheck cited HTX Studio's 3,000-fold durability test, reporting that "the iPhone Duo's screen crease deepened noticeably compared to the two other foldables used as benchmarks."
Another tech outlet, nPowerUser, added that "the Galaxy Z Fold 8's crease management and resilience are far superior to the iPhone Duo's as usage accumulates over time."
Bloomberg said the iPhone Duo's scarcity stems not from surging demand but from Apple's failure to manage its supply chain and scale up mass production.
Apple "clearly knew in advance that serious supply disruptions would occur due to manufacturing process limitations, yet pushed ahead with the launch regardless," Bloomberg said. Bank of America puts the global average delivery wait time for the iPhone Duo at 82 days.
On top of a domestic retail price ranging from 3.29 million won ($2,480) to 5.09 million won for the 2TB model, the device's repair costs have also drawn fire.
Apple's officially listed repair cost for the iPhone Duo's inner main display alone is 1.649 million won. The AppleCare+ protection plan costs 549,000 won — also a record high. Industry sources said the combined initial outlay for the device, insurance, an official charger and a case comes to around 4 million won.
An industry official said that while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 weighs 201 grams and measures 9.7 millimeters thick, "Apple failed to get the weight of its first foldable below 250 grams and also gave up on a telephoto camera and Face ID."
The official added that "given the cascade of compromises on core features and an entry price in the mid-3 million won range, it will not be easy for the device to make a meaningful impact in the market."
ko@heraldcorp.com
