Buy Apple’s new foldable iPhone Duo from iStore and the free cover that comes with it won’t pay to fix the folding inner screen. That is the part early buyers abroad say is cracking along the hinge, in some cases within hours of purchase.
Gizmodo reported a string of cases, including a Reddit user in Australia whose inner screen cracked six hours after they bought the phone. Leaker Ice Universe warned in a post cited by Gizmodo that the problem “could even escalate into a recall”. Apple told 9to5Mac it is aware of “an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units” and said affected users “should contact AppleCare for a replacement”. Its statement did not mention South Africa.
iStore confirmed to TechCentral this week that its complimentary iCarePlus cover excludes the Duo’s inner screen. Samsung and Huawei both sell paid plans that cover the inner screens of their foldables. Asked what it costs to replace an inner screen without cover, only Huawei gave a figure: a staggering R15 000, excluding labour. Yet Apple’s US pricing suggests the Duo’s could cost even more.
Buyers may have more protection than the cover plans suggest. Consumer journalist Wendy Knowler said section 56 of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) gives products sold in South Africa an implied warranty against defects.
“If it’s sold in South Africa, section 56 applies whether the product was bought new or used, and that is for six months,” she said.
If an inner screen cracks because of a defect, rather than a drop or other damage, within six months of purchase or delivery, “the CPA would most definitely apply”, Knowler said. The supplier would then not be allowed to say the inner screen is excluded.
The buyer can then choose a repair, a replacement or a refund. If a repair hasn’t fixed the problem within three months, the act says the supplier must replace the goods or refund the buyer. For phones on contract, a repair or replacement is the practical option.
‘Massive red flag’
Knowler said buyers should go back to the store where they bought the phone. It is then up to the retailer to deal with the supplier. If a claim is refused, buyers can complain to the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud.
After six months, the manufacturer’s warranty takes over. Its terms “must not be completely unreasonable so as to render the warranty useless”, Knowler said. A manufacturer could probably exclude the inner screen, she added, but “that would be a massive red flag for me”.
Every iPhone Duo bought at iStore comes with iCarePlus, which the retailer values at R1 999. It extends Apple’s warranty to two years and includes one screen repair. iStore said that repair “covers both the front screen and back glass of iPhone Duo”. The inner screen, however, is left out.
“The internal screen is currently not covered by iStore’s complimentary iCarePlus product,” iStore told TechCentral. “We are awaiting confirmation of the replacement cost and can share this once it is available.”
iStore did not say why the inner screen is excluded. It also did not say whether an inner screen that cracks on its own would count as a defect under the standard warranty.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8 series has a 24-month warranty that covers manufacturing defects. It does not cover drops, physical impact or “pressure cracks along the crease that are classified by Samsung”.
If the crease deepens through normal use, Samsung will treat it as a warranty defect “if, after formal technical assessment, it is deemed a manufacturing defect”.
Paid Samsung Care+ plans cover the inner screen. For the Galaxy Z Fold8, a 12-month plan with one screen repair costs R1 699, though Samsung’s website currently lists a promotional price of R1 299. Each claim carries a R1 499 repair fee. Samsung also sells Premium plans covering accidental damage, at R3 449 for 24 months, R4 999 for 36 months or R249/month, according to its website.
Samsung did not give a price for an inner screen repair without cover. It said the cost “may vary” depending on the service partner and the damage.
Huawei
Huawei said the Mate X7 is its latest foldable on sale in South Africa. Its inner screen is covered by the standard two-year warranty for manufacturing defects, as long as there is no external or accidental damage.
If the crease deepens within two years, Huawei will assess it as a warranty claim. If it finds no other damage, the issue “may be handled under warranty”.
Huawei Care+ is not included, but buyers can pay R3 099 for one year or R6 039 for two. Huawei’s website lists these as reduced prices, down from R3 599 and R6 999. The plan covers accidental damage to the inner screen, with a R1 999 fee per claim and one repair a year.
Without cover, a new inner screen costs about R15 000, excluding labour.
How they compare
| iPhone Duo (iStore) | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 | Huawei Mate X7 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard warranty covers inner-screen defects | Unconfirmed by iStore | Yes, if assessed as a manufacturing defect | Yes, subject to warranty conditions |
| Additional protection covers inner-screen damage | No, excluded from complimentary iCarePlus | Yes, through Samsung Care+ | Yes, through Huawei Care+ |
| Cost of additional protection | Complimentary, valued at R1 999, but excludes the inner screen | R1 699 for 12 months (R1 299 on promotion); Premium plans from R3 449 | R3 099 for one year or R6 039 for two (reduced from R3 599 and R6 999) |
| Repair fee per claim | No claim possible, as the inner screen is not covered | R1 499 | R1 999 |
| Inner-screen replacement without additional protection | South African price not yet confirmed | South African price not provided | About R15 000, excluding labour |
What a repair could cost
Huawei’s figure shows what is at stake. At about R15 000 before labour, one repair costs far more than any of the cover plans.
For the iPhone Duo, the only official figure is from the US. Apple’s US repair page lists inner display damage at US$999 for out-of-warranty repairs. That is about half the phone’s $1 999 starting price. If iStore’s pricing follows the same ratio, an uncovered repair on the entry-level R47 999 model would cost about R24 000. — © 2026 NewsCentral Media
