Apple's new foldable iPhone is facing severe supply shortages, with pre-orders selling out within minutes of launch on Friday morning. The iPhone Duo pre-order window opened at 8 a.m. ET on apple.com and the Apple Store app, and within minutes, estimated delivery dates were pushed past the device's official October 23 launch and into 2027. As of Friday afternoon, the phone was backordered until late January, according to available information.
Wall Street analyst Dan Ives, a partner at Yorkville Ives, said in a research note that demand for Apple's first foldable was running well ahead of supply from the start. Market research analyst Max Weinbach from Creativestrat reported on social media that the Duo had sold out at every store in the New York and Connecticut area within three minutes of pre-orders opening. Apple did not disclose how many pre-order requests it received.
When the Duo launches officially on October 23, Apple said it will have limited inventory at its stores but warned that supply could sell out quickly. An Apple spokesperson said in an email that the company is working to get the device into customers' hands as quickly as possible, with stores having limited iPhone Duo available for walk-in customers.
The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for a model with 256 GB of storage. When folded, it is approximately the size of a passport. The full display is the largest of any Apple phone and more closely resembles an iPad than an iPhone. Apple's new CEO, John Ternus, announced the device last month. The Duo allows users to split the screen to run two different apps simultaneously or display two windows of the same website, which is useful for comparison shopping.
Ives projects that demand for the Duo will remain strong through 2027, with many iPhone users planning to upgrade. He forecasts Apple will sell around 10 million Duos in the next few quarters and up to 25 million in 2027. For US consumers and investors, strong demand for Apple's foldable device could drive higher revenue growth but depends on whether the company can increase production to meet orders.