Durability controversy drives used-market prices below retail

Secondary market price falls from 3.82 million to 3.42 million won

Apple acknowledges internal display issues in some units

A durability test of the iPhone Duo conducted by a foreign YouTuber. When force was applied in the direction opposite to the fold, lines appeared on the screen. [Captured from YouTube / JerryRigEverything]
A durability test of the iPhone Duo conducted by a foreign YouTuber. When force was applied in the direction opposite to the fold, lines appeared on the screen. [Captured from YouTube / JerryRigEverything]

The resale price of Apple's iPhone Duo, which had surged from its retail price of 3.29 million won ($2,490) to as high as 4 million won on the used market, has now fallen below the original retail price.

The device commanded a premium at launch due to tight initial supply, but a durability controversy has sent its price tumbling.

The drop reflects a rush by resellers — who had snapped up large quantities of early stock — to offload their inventory just to recoup their costs.

A customer examines the iPhone Duo at the Apple Store in Myeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul on Friday, the day of the foldable smartphone's official domestic launch. Photo by Lim Se-jun
A customer examines the iPhone Duo at the Apple Store in Myeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul on Friday, the day of the foldable smartphone's official domestic launch. Photo by Lim Se-jun

According to industry sources, the used-market price of the iPhone Duo (256GB model, retail price 3.29 million won) climbed to 3.82 million won on Thursday before falling back to 3.42 million won on Monday — a drop of 400,000 won ($302) in just four days. The decline is attributed to a string of reports about damaged internal displays on the device.

Reports of cracked inner screens began surfacing Friday (local time) in US technology media and spread to international online communities including Reddit. Foreign tech outlets cited the cases as grounds to question the structural integrity of the hinge — the folding mechanism — and the durability of the internal display.

JerryRigEverything, a YouTube channel specializing in teardowns and durability tests, also reported problems with the hinge and internal display after putting the iPhone Duo through scratch, heat, dust-ingress and bend tests on Oct. 3.

Some users shared photos showing cracks near the center crease of the inner display or white lines running across one side of the screen, dubbing the issue "Crackgate."

A photo of a damaged iPhone Duo posted to the online community Reddit. [Captured from Reddit]
A photo of a damaged iPhone Duo posted to the online community Reddit. [Captured from Reddit]

As the controversy grew, used-device platforms were flooded with iPhone Duo listings at or below the original retail price.

Posts on secondhand trading platforms included listings such as "iPhone Duo Star White 256GB unopened — 3.3 million won" and "iPhone Duo 256GB unopened — 3.1 million won."

YouTuber Bogyeom, who has gifted iPhones to his subscribers for 10 years, said he was flustered by the situation, adding that he was weighing whether to buy additional iPhone Duo units. He had purchased the devices at 400,000 to 500,000 won above retail — paying 3.75 million to 3.8 million won for the 256GB model (retail: 3.29 million won) and 4.05 million to 4.1 million won for the 512GB model (retail: 3.59 million won).

"Now there are people selling them for less than the retail price, which makes things awkward," Bogyeom said.

Meanwhile, Apple acknowledged the internal display problem. In a statement Tuesday, the company said it was "aware of an issue affecting the internal display on a small number of iPhone Duo units" and urged affected users to contact AppleCare for a replacement.


ko@heraldcorp.com