Dhaka, Oct. 26 -- Apple's newly launched foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, faces early criticism as buyers report severe screen cracks and hinge mechanism failures shortly after receiving the $2,000 device.

According to a report by The Independent, pictures and complaints regarding broken displays spread rapidly across social media platforms within hours of the phone going on sale, leading online users to label the flaw "crackgate".

Disappointed buyers described hearing an audible "pop" or crunching sound before lines of bright pixels or cracks appeared along the central crease of the inner display.

One user in Australia reported that the device broke after being opened fewer than 20 times, though Apple reportedly replaced the unit ...