iPhone Duo sold out within hours; India deliveries now late January 2027

Pre-orders for Apple's first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, sold out within hours of opening on Friday, 16 October 2026, and delivery dates for new orders have slipped into 2027 in India, the US and other markets. Apple described demand for the iPhone Duo as "nothing short of extraordinary" and said it was working to get devices to customers as quickly as possible. In India, where pre-orders opened at 5.30 pm IST, new orders were being quoted delivery in late January 2027, instead of the 23 October sale date.

When pre-orders opened, the question was whether buyers would pay close to Rs 3 lakh, or $1,999, for Apple's first folding phone. The early answer is that, at least for the first batch, demand ran well ahead of supply. A foldable phone has a screen that bends, so it can be used as a regular phone when closed and opened out to a small tablet. Apple came to this kind of device years after Samsung and Chinese makers, and the sell-out suggests its brand still draws buyers even at a very high price.

A sell-out on its own, however, does not say how many phones Apple has sold. Apple has not shared order or shipment numbers. A long wait can come from high demand, from a limited number of units, or from both. Some reports linked the delays to shortages of components such as memory chips across the electronics industry this year, but Apple has not given a reason beyond the level of demand. Foldable phones are also harder to make in large numbers than ordinary phones, because the hinge and the bending screen need extra steps and testing.

For Indian buyers, the practical effect is a long wait. Someone who orders now is unlikely to get the phone before the end of January 2027, unless they secured one of the first units. Buyers who see resellers offering early units at higher prices should be careful: the official channels are Apple's own store, its retail stores and authorised sellers.

Short-term: Buyers who did not order in the first hours face a wait of about three months. Retailers and carriers have also pushed back delivery times for new orders, according to reports.

Long-term: If Apple can raise supply, the strong early interest may encourage it to expand its foldable range and push rivals to compete harder on price and features in the high-end phone market, including in India.

Who is affected: Indian and global buyers waiting for the iPhone Duo; Apple's retail and online partners, who must manage long order queues; rival phone makers selling foldables; and component suppliers, which face pressure to deliver more parts.

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