The new iPhone Duo is selling out fast, with deliveries already slipping into late January, three months after they were supposed to be available. The sellout is unprecedented, even for a new iPhone, which is always in high demand.
The first folding iPhone was meant to be ready for delivery on Friday, October 23. But preorders backed up by months within 15 minutes of the new handset going on sale this morning.
Currently, the checkout at Apple’s online store shows the iPhone Duo, which starts at $1,999, won’t be delivered until January 25 at the earliest. Customers hoping to pick up a handset before Christmas might still be able to get one, however.
iPhone Duo demand is off the charts, as ship dates slip by months
As Apple’s first foldable, demand for the iPhone Duo was expected to be high due to the novel form factor. But the device’s popularity seems especially high, with delivery dates already delayed by months. iPhone Duo is also shown as unavailable for pickup at many of Apple’s retail stores. However, Apple’s online store now says customers interested in reserving a pickup at an Apple Store should check back on October 24.
This is pretty astonishing. I can’t remember Apple introducing a product with an immediate three-month backlog of orders.
Of course, the slipping ship dates might might reflect limited supply rather than incredibly high demand. Multiple reports this summer suggested Apple was suffering from production problems. The complexity of the phone, especially its hinge, resulted in low yields on production lines. It seems very possible that the slipping ship dates is a combination of high demand and low supply.
On the other hand, a lot of potential iPhone 18 Pro buyers this year reported interest in the iPhone Duo. The Pro models, unlike the Duo, were generally available for sale or delivery on day one.
Ship dates slipping even during checkout
Apple encouraged would-be iPhone Duo owners to preconfigure their orders and secure financing for the pricey handset before orders opened at 5 a.m. Pacific this morning.
Apple’s online store went offline for a few minutes today, and by the time it loaded, iPhone Duo ship dates quickly slipped into November, then December.
Some customers reported ship dates slipping even as they were checking out.
“By the time I got to checkout a few seconds later, no pickups were available anywhere,” wrote Dave Hamilton on X. “And the delivery window slipped to 11/20! 🚚📦📲 At least when I bought Rush tickets last year they were secure once they were in my cart! 🛒 🤘 And now, after typing this, pre-order deliveries have slipped to 12/14.”
Don’t despair!
Despite the early sellout, the new iPhone Duo still might be available in stores on October 23. Apple often reserves a supply for walk-in customers on the first day of sales. Demand, though, will likely be high.
The foldable also might be available through carriers and third-party retailers like Best Buy.
