Apple (AAPL) spent launch week proving people would line up for a $1,999 foldable iPhone. It’s possible that some of them who waited will now get a better offer.
Resellers in China started lowering the premiums they were asking above Apple’s official pricing only days after the iPhone Duo went on sale.
At Shenzhen’s Huaqiangbei electronics market, one vendor cut the premium on a black 1-terabyte iPhone Duo by 2,800 yuan, or about $420, according to the South China Morning Post.
The asking price fell to 24,300 yuan from more than 25,000 yuan when the phone first reached stores.
This does not imply that Apple has lowered the Duo’s pricing. It implies that consumers who are prepared to pay more only to have one right away are already spending less.
For consumers, the lesson is simple: Scarcity can be expensive, and patience can be valuable.
Apple’s iPhone Duo scarcity premium is fading
Apple launched the iPhone Duo on Oct. 23 after preorders sold out within minutes. The company starts the device at $1,999 in the U.S.
Apple offers the foldable in four storage configurations ranging from 256 gigabytes to 2 terabytes.
There was a scarcity at the beginning.
Shortly after preorders started, Apple’s projected delivery dates were pushed back to late January. Additionally, the firm restricted walk-in availability in several regions and limited preorders to two phones per consumer.
Read more: Apple’s $1,999 iPhone Duo appears to have an app problem
Some buyers and resellers queued up in an attempt to get limited launch supplies, according to Reuters.
One reseller in Hong Kong told Reuters that he intended to flip a 256GB Duo for around HK$4,000.
That is the well-known economics of launching a popular product.
Resellers might charge more only for possessing something when official supply is limited and purchasers need it right now. However, such premiums are only sustainable as long as enough individuals are willing to pay them.
China’s first indications point to a possible decline in willingness.
Apple’s $1,999 iPhone is exposing the cost of buying early.
Mixed reviews are giving buyers another reason to wait
The change coincides with a more nuanced response to Apple’s first foldable.
Early evaluations praised the Duo’s hinge and design.
However, critics also highlighted shortcomings, such as the absence of a telephoto camera and software that hasn’t been completely updated for the bigger display. Several well-known critics questioned if the foldable design is worth $1,999 for the average iPhone user.
Reuters reported that longtime Apple commentator John Gruber described the device as feeling more like a highly polished prototype than something he would want to carry every day.
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For the resale market, it is important. If fewer consumers are ready to pay more to avoid the queue, a product may continue to be sold out via official channels while secondary-market prices decline.
The South China Morning Post reported that social media discussion about durability and compatibility issues was contributing to softer reseller demand.
This puts purchasers in an odd predicament.
On the day of the Duo’s introduction, someone who really wanted it might pay Apple $1,999, wait months for delivery, or pay a reseller considerably more. The premium can already be lower for someone who is prepared to wait a few days.
Apple’s first demand signal is getting more complicated
I previously reported that as Duo delivery dates pushed into 2027, Apple’s $1,999 iPhone wager drew an instant response.
However, there was a crucial disclaimer.
Tight supply made it difficult to know how much of the apparent demand reflected enormous consumer enthusiasm and how much reflected limited launch inventory.
The declining resale premiums make that topic more intriguing. They don’t demonstrate a lack of demand.
In many areas, the Duo remains hard to get, and official Apple inventory remains limited.
IDC expects Apple to lead the global foldable-phone market in value and units in 2026 and 2027, according to Reuters.
Resale prices, however, provide investors with an additional means of monitoring demand. Long after introduction, if customers are still paying high premiums, it indicates that demand is still greater than Apple’s supply.
The situation becomes more complicated if such premiums vanish quickly while official waiting lists remain lengthy.
Waiting could be the cheapest iPhone Duo strategy
The fact that the Duo suddenly became affordable is hardly the most crucial lesson for consumers.
It didn’t.
It is still one of the priciest phones Apple has ever sold, costing $1,999 before accessories, taxes, or extra storage.
The more practical lesson is that after the launch enthusiasm subsides, it could be more difficult to justify paying more for instant access.
The official pricing of Apple in the United States has not altered. The secondary market is where the discounts are taking place.
Additionally, these discounts are occurring quickly enough to demonstrate the financial impact of early scarcity on the initial price of possessing a popular technology.
The next question for Apple investors is whether the Duo will continue to sell well after the novelty and reseller activity have subsided.
The test is simpler for customers. Keep an eye on resale pricing and availability.
Waiting could be the most affordable option to purchase Apple’s priciest iPhone if the gap continues to close.
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