Apple’s first foldable phone didn’t even make it to breakfast. iPhone Duo preorders opened at 5 a.m. Pacific (7 a.m. Central) on Friday, Oct. 16, and within minutes delivery dates slid from Oct. 23 into November. By 5:30 a.m. Pacific, Apple’s online store was quoting Jan. 25, 2027 — for every color and every storage size, MacRumors reported.
Apple told the Financial Times demand has been “nothing short of extraordinary.” Prices run from $1,999 (256GB) up to $3,199 for 2TB. The lucky first orders still land on Oct. 23. Everybody else who ordered from Apple is waiting until next year — so if a Duo was on your Christmas list, Apple’s own store can’t get it there.
Don’t plan on strolling into a store, either. Apple retail staff told MacRumors they’ve been advised there will likely be no walk-in stock on launch day and to discourage customers without preorders from coming in. Apple’s site says to check back Oct. 24 for store pickup.
And the scalpers? Already feasting. Tom’s Guide spotted an eBay buyer paying $3,777 for a 1TB Duo and another paying $4,999 for a 2TB model — on Friday morning, before a single phone shipped.
What to do if you want one:
- Check carriers and retailers, not just Apple. On Friday Tom’s Guide saw earlier dates elsewhere — Best Buy as early as Nov. 3 on some carrier-tied 1TB/2TB models, AT&T around Nov. 9, Verizon around Nov. 14. Those dates move fast.
- Don’t pay a scalper. MacRumors notes Apple has sometimes shipped constrained iPhones sooner than first quoted. No guarantees, but a 2027 date isn’t carved in stone.
- Check pickup on Oct. 24 instead of camping out on launch day without a preorder.
Foldables just went mainstream — and mainstream means a line.
Source: MacRumors — Apple Calls iPhone Duo Demand ‘Extraordinary’ After Orders Slip to 2027, Oct. 16, 2026; MacRumors — iPhone Duo is Sold Out for Christmas, Oct. 16, 2026; Tom’s Guide — iPhone Duo pre-orders live, Oct. 16, 2026
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