Apple began accepting pre-orders for its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, on Friday morning. The company reported that initial supplies for the device sold out shortly after the pre-order window opened at 8 a.m. ET on its website and mobile application.
The iPhone Duo was announced last month by Apple CEO John Ternus alongside the iPhone 18. The foldable device features a display that allows users to operate two apps simultaneously or view two windows of the same website. When folded, the device is described as being approximately the size of a passport, while its unfolded display is the largest of any current Apple phone model.
Market analysts reported rapid exhaustion of available launch-day inventory. Max Weinbach, an analyst at Creativestrat, stated on the social media platform X that the device was unavailable at stores in the New York and Connecticut areas within three minutes of the launch. Consequently, estimated delivery dates for new orders moved from the official Oct. 23 launch date to late January.
Dan Ives, an analyst at Yorkville Ives, noted in a research memorandum that demand for the foldable device is currently exceeding the available supply. While Apple has not disclosed specific pre-order figures, Ives projects the company could sell 10 million units over the coming quarters and up to 25 million units in 2027. The iPhone Duo is priced starting at $1,999 for the 256 GB storage configuration.
The scale of the rollout involves millions of potential users. Analyst projections suggest 10 million units may be sold in the near term, growing to 25 million by 2027. For a household purchasing one device, the $1,999 cost represents a substantial one-time expenditure for consumer electronics. The shift toward foldable screens may also influence the broader mobile application market, as developers may need to optimize software for the device's split-screen and iPad-like display capabilities.
The success or failure of this product line will set a precedent for Apple's future hardware strategy and its competition with other foldable manufacturers. The immediate sell-out indicates a high level of consumer interest in the new form factor despite the premium price point. Following the Oct. 23 official launch date, the next major milestone will be the fulfillment of backordered units through January and into the 2027 fiscal year.