While preorder buzz isn't a solid indication of a device's lasting success, the iPhone Duo has cleared a major early hurdle. After preorders for Apple's first foldable phone went live on Friday, the company characterized the demand as "nothing short of extraordinary" in a statement to CNBC.

So far, shipping estimates for the latest iPhone Duo preorders in the US have been pushed back as late as January 2027. That's bad news for anyone hoping to secure Apple's foldable for the holiday window, but Apple told CNBC that it's "working hard to get this revolutionary new product into customers' hands as quickly as possible, and we will continue accepting orders online."

Anecdotal evidence from online customers are showing everything from being able to pick up their iPhone Duo orders at an Apple Store as early as October 23 to others receiving shipping estimates for November and December. Those who missed the boat on the earliest waves of preorders are seeing delivery windows for January on the online Apple Store, but also a pickup option that says to "Check back for availability on 10.24." Apple has previously mentioned "shopping in-store or online for iPhone Duo," but hasn't confirmed if its physical locations or other authorized retailers would have in-store stock. As for third-party options, Best Buy's website is currently showing iPhone Duo shipping estimates for November as of the time of the article's publishing.