iPhone Duo hinge supplier denies blame for cracked screens and threatens lawsuits

Fine M-Tec, a South Korean maker of the metal plates that sit inside the hinges of foldable OLED screens, has publicly distanced itself from complaints about the iPhone Duo. On October 26 the company posted a statement on its website saying the quality issues with a "customer's new product" were not caused by its parts. Apple and the phone are never named, but analysts have long listed Fine M-Tec among the suppliers of Apple's first foldable.

The timing is no accident. The iPhone Duo went on sale on October 23, and owners in the US, Australia and China quickly started posting photos of cracks along the central fold or a bright horizontal line that shows up when the phone is folded. One Australian buyer said the screen broke about six hours after unboxing and fewer than 20 folds, right after a noise came from near the hinge. Apple reportedly replaced the device.

Fine M-Tec's argument is simple: a foldable phone combines many components and precise mechanics, so blaming a failure on one part without a proper technical investigation is wrong. The company says its parts meet the customer's specifications and are checked at every stage from development to mass production.

It also threatened to sue. People who spread unverified claims that hurt the company's reputation and its shareholders could face civil and criminal action, and the media were asked not to repeat speculation.

Neither Fine M-Tec nor Apple has named the actual cause. For now the hinge maker is lining up lawyers while owners keep counting folds.