TL;DR: Apple said preorder demand for its first foldable iPhone, iPhone Duo, was “nothing short of extraordinary” after October 16 preorders sold out launch-day pickup and pushed some delivery estimates to late January.

Apple confirms extraordinary demand after preorders open

Apple opened preorders for iPhone Duo on Friday, October 16, and said the response was “nothing short of extraordinary,” according to CNBC. The company issued the statement after launch-day pickup inventory sold out quickly and some online delivery estimates slipped into late January, according to CNBC.

Apple said in the statement, “We are working hard to get this revolutionary new product into customers’ hands as quickly as possible, and we will continue accepting orders online,” according to CNBC. Apple added, “Our teams look forward to welcoming customers at Apple Stores worldwide to experience the iPhone Duo and the incredible full iPhone line-up for themselves,” according to CNBC reporting cited by The Verge.

The Verge reported that delivery estimates were already delayed into 2027. CNBC reported that some online delivery estimates slipped into late January. Investing.com reported that preorders began at 8 a.m. Eastern time on October 16, with shipping estimates initially slipping into November before extending further to January 25. 9to5Mac reported that shipping estimates moved from late October into November, then December, and eventually January, with estimated deliveries in Brazil pushed into early February.

Apple did not disclose how many preorders it received, according to a report by The Economic Times summarizing Bloomberg coverage. Apple also did not disclose whether inventory would be available for customers who were unable to secure preorders when the device goes on sale October 23, according to The Verge. Availability begins Friday, October 23, according to Apple.

Price creates new tier above Pro and Pro Max

Apple’s first foldable phone starts at $1,999 and passes $3,000 at the 2TB storage tier, according to CNBC. That pricing establishes an entirely new price point above the Pro and Pro Max, according to CNBC.

Apple’s shop listing shows a 256GB configuration at $1,999.00 and a 512GB configuration at $2,199.00. The same listing shows additional configurations at $2,599.00 and $3,199.00. The Economic Times reported that delays extended across both colour options and all storage configurations, ranging from 256 gigabytes to 2 terabytes, citing Bloomberg.

CNBC reported that the price reaches $3,199 at 2TB. The price makes iPhone Duo Apple’s most expensive iPhone ever, according to CNBC. CNBC reported that the launch is Apple’s biggest change to the physical design of the iPhone in years.

Moor Insights analyst Anshel Sag, who attended Apple’s launch event, said many expected the foldable iPhone to start between $2,400 and $2,500, according to CNBC. Sag said Apple coming in at $1,999 suggests the company “wants a lot of share,” according to CNBC. Sag expects the Duo to become “very much a status symbol” during the holiday season and potentially into next year, according to CNBC.

9to5Mac reported that scalpers on eBay and X were already seeking to cash in, with asking prices reaching as high as $10,000. That report described criticism of Apple’s handling of preorders, with some calling on the company to identify and cancel orders placed by scalpers.

What Apple unveiled on September 9

Apple introduced iPhone Duo on September 9, 2026, in Cupertino, California, according to Apple. Apple CEO John Ternus and vice president of industrial design Molly Anderson showed off the new iPhone Duo during an Apple event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park in Cupertino, California, on September 9, 2026, according to CNBC.

Apple described iPhone Duo as the first foldable iPhone, according to Apple. Opened, it is the thinnest iPhone ever, according to Apple. Closed, it is similar in size to a passport, according to Apple.

The inner display is a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR display, according to Apple. That inner display is 50 percent larger than the display on iPhone 18 Pro Max, according to Apple and CNBC. The closed device has a 5.4-inch outer display that delivers 90 percent of the screen area of iPhone 18 Pro, according to Apple. Apple said both displays share the same aspect ratio, so content scales proportionally.

Apple said iPhone Duo is crafted from grade 5 titanium with a mirror-polished finish and a 3D-printed hinge cover with a micro-blasted finish, according to Apple. The precision hinge is engineered from more than 100 components to control opening and closing and support the center of the display, according to Apple. Apple said support ribs reinforce the structure, while antenna splits with ceramic fiber inserts enhance rigidity.

The inner display uses a nano-texture finish that reduces glare and reflections, according to Apple. Apple said the finish creates a matte surface that minimizes crease visibility. Beneath the inner display, a new FaceTime camera stays hidden when not in use, according to Apple. The displays feature ProMotion, Always On, and 3000 nits of peak outdoor brightness, according to Apple.

Apple said Ceramic Shield protects the back of iPhone Duo, and Ceramic Shield 2 on the front has 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation, according to Apple. Apple said iPhone Duo is splash-, water-, and dust-resistant with an IP68 rating.

Chip, battery, camera and software

iPhone Duo is powered by A20 Pro, according to Apple. Apple described an advanced thermal management system with a custom-designed vapor chamber, according to Apple. The device uses a dual-battery architecture for all-day battery life, according to Apple.

Apple’s product page lists a vapor-cooled A20 Pro chip for pro performance and a dual-battery system. Touch ID is integrated into the side button, according to Apple. Users can also unlock iPhone Duo using Apple Watch, according to Apple. The design includes Camera Control, including a Siri Camera mode that lets Siri see what the user sees, according to Apple.

The camera system includes a 48MP Fusion Main camera, a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera, and a 12MP Center Stage front camera, plus an under-display FaceTime camera, according to Apple. Apple said the folding design enables Duo Preview, Kid Cue, Duo FaceTime, and Smart Take. Apple said the system captures 48MP photos and video up to 4K 120 fps.

The phone runs iOS 27, which Apple said was reimagined while remaining familiar and intuitive, according to Apple. Apple said iPhone Duo brings Apple Intelligence and Siri AI together with personal context, according to Apple. Apple’s product page states that Siri AI is rolling out in English.

Apple said iPhone Duo will support Apple Pencil with USB-C later this year, allowing notes, sketches, and document markup on either display, according to Apple. Apple offers the phone in two colors — star white and night sky — according to Apple.

Preorders began Friday, October 16, at 5 a.m. PT on apple.com and in the Apple Store app, according to Apple. Apple said customers can choose home delivery or pickup at a local Apple Store. Apple said customers can connect with Apple Specialists for support on leasing with Apple Upgrade, financing options, carrier deals, Apple Trade In, AppleCare+, and AppleCare One.

Analysts focus on average selling price

Analysts who spoke with CNBC said Apple’s bet is not that foldables suddenly become a mass-market product, according to CNBC. Instead, the focus is on a relatively small group of highest-spending customers becoming more valuable, according to CNBC.

IDC expects foldables to make up just over 2% of global smartphone units this year but nearly 7% of industry revenue, according to CNBC citing IDC. By 2030, IDC expects the category to account for 10% of smartphone revenue while representing only about 3% of units, according to CNBC.

IDC senior research director Nabila Popal told CNBC that Duo is “fast becoming an aspirational foldable.” Popal said the technology itself is not necessarily the breakthrough because foldable Android phones have existed for years, according to CNBC. Popal said what is new is Apple bringing that form factor to consumers already invested in the iPhone ecosystem, according to CNBC.

Apple has been exploring the form factor for more than a decade, according to CNBC. In 2011, Ternus and five other Apple engineers filed a patent application for foldable electronic devices, according to a Time profile cited by CNBC.

Counterpoint Research Director Tarun Pathak told CNBC the firm expects initial demand to exceed supply. Apple has an installed base of roughly 1.4 billion iPhones, Pathak noted, meaning even a small percentage of early adopters could overwhelm the roughly 6 million or fewer units Counterpoint expects to be available in the near term, according to CNBC. IDC also expects supply to be constrained initially because of device complexity and Apple’s manufacturing and quality standards, according to CNBC. Popal said, “Exclusivity is part of the current appeal,” according to CNBC.

IDC expects Apple to ship roughly 7 million units this year, or roughly 3% of Apple’s total shipments in 2026, according to CNBC. Popal forecasts Duo shipments could grow another 70% next year, according to CNBC. That would give Apple roughly 40% of the global foldable market and make it the category’s largest player, surpassing Samsung and Huawei, according to CNBC. Popal forecast that Apple could ship as many Duos in the next six months as the previous category leaders did in all of 2025, according to CNBC.

A large share of Duo customers are expected to be existing iPhone owners, analysts said, including consumers who otherwise might have purchased a Pro Max and are now trading up, according to CNBC. Others could add the Duo as a second smartphone, with Apple’s ecosystem allowing movement between it and a primary iPhone, according to CNBC. Popal said migration from roughly $1,200 premium iPhones to a device starting at nearly $2,000 should provide a “healthy boost” to revenue even if volumes remain small, according to CNBC.

Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Anurag Rana and Josh Christensen said iPhone Duo sales could exceed their previous estimates of 14 million units and $28 billion in revenue for Apple’s fiscal 2027, according to The Economic Times summarizing Bloomberg. If Apple persuades existing iPhone Pro and Pro Max owners to switch to the base foldable, iPhone average selling price could rise by 82% and 67%, respectively, according to the Bloomberg Intelligence note summarized by The Economic Times.

CNBC also placed the launch in the context of Apple’s prior luxury efforts. When the first Apple Watch launched, Apple offered the 18-karat gold Edition starting at $10,000, according to CNBC. Apple also formed a partnership with Hermès around premium watch bands and designs, according to CNBC. That push came during the tenure of Angela Ahrendts, the former Burberry CEO who joined Apple in 2014 to lead retail and online stores, according to CNBC.

Sources referenced