Apple iPhone Duo is already backordered until 2027

[Shawn Knight]

In a nutshell: Apple's first foldable smartphone is off to a strong start. The Cupertino-based tech titan opened pre-orders for the iPhone Duo on Friday morning and within minutes, the shipping window had slipped into early next year.

Apple introduced the iPhone Duo as the centerpiece of its fall media event on September 9. The handset, which is set to do battle with Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold in the ultra-premium space, is powered by an A20 Pro SoC built by TSMC on its 2nm node and features a 7.6-inch folding display. It's offered in two colors at a starting price of $1,999.

Shortly after pre-orders opened, delivery windows slipped to late January. As it stands today, anyone that buys the Duo from Apple's website will have to wait at least three months to get their hands on it.

Some believed the high price would hamper the device's popularity. Delayed delivery times suggest the Duo could be a hit, but we don't have enough pieces of the puzzle to say if that's the case for certain. Late last month, a Chinese news outlet claimed contract manufacturer Foxconn was facing production challenges resulting in low yields and quality concerns. If true, inventory of the Duo may have been limited from the start.

Nevertheless, Counterpoint Research expects Apple to sell six million iPhone Duos by the end of 2026 – not bad for a two-month run. As for the foldable market as a whole, IDC believes the category will grow 12.6% to 22.9 million units this year before hitting nearly 27 million units sold by the end of next year.

Those seeking an iPhone Duo on launch day still have options. Wireless carriers and Apple retail stores often have units for walk-in customers on launch day. Third-party marketplaces like eBay are another option, but expect to pay a premium.

Do you have any experience with foldables? Personally, I'm content to sit on the sidelines until display durability improves. Accidentally scratching the screen of a $2,000 phone with a fingernail doesn't sound like a good time.

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Apple iPhone Duo is already backordered until 2027

 

[Megalomaniac]

I was expecting pre-orders to sell quickly.

Apple made it appear that you could save your preferences (color, capacity and store pickup location). If that was true all you'd need to do is double tap a push notification for Apple Pay and that would have been it.

3% cash back and 0% interest for 24 months.

Done.

The website wasn't refreshing properly and all 12 nearby apple stores claimed they were unavailable within just 10 minutes.
I saw this before with the iPhone 14 so I kept refreshing it. Didn't help.

I ended up buying two iPhone Duo 512GB in White - although I only wanted one. If possible I will keep one order and sell or return the other.

I personally think this is the worst launch since iPhone 6 Plus.

Since then, the iPhone 7 onwards for the most part was easier and easier. Apple actually perfected launch days by forcing pre-order followed by in-person ID verification (unlike Nvidia) and made scalping a thing of the past. Now they're screwing up again.

 

[toooooot]

Apple has the most loyal fans.

 

[Megalomaniac]

Which Samsung Fold model sold out?

 

[Kashim]

Apple has the most loyal fans.

It may be true, but that means nothing. Stupid people, and especially stupid people with money will latch onto something and worship it forever like it's the greatest thing. I've seen plenty of people gushing over Apple products and they certainly weren't the smartest people in the room. They go on and on about how great Apple products are, kind of like those clowns that spend a ton of money on other stupid things like a Yeti cooler and won't shut up about it.

This stupid foldable toy is on backorder because Apple is struggling with yields, not because it's selling well. Apple's yield issues were already reported last week or the week before, but trust TS to use the backorder nonsense to appeal to Apple zealots and to use it as an excuse for another meaningless click bait article about nothing.

 

[Hexic]

Which Samsung Fold model sold out?

In Korea, the recent Fold8 sold out in all colors and configurations, they had to delay further shipping by almost a month.

But, when you’re the market leader in that space pioneering the technology for everyone else, selling out on early models doesn’t always happen.

When you pave the way for your competitors by doing the R&D first, having 8 generations of the same product out before your competition releases their first - you have nothing to prove against Apple in the foldable space.

It’s already overpriced and the camera system sucks compared to the Fold8.

Welcome to the party Apple fanboys, the water’s been warm for a very long time.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Lot of people malding and seething over a consumer product being available. Just don't buy it.

 

[NumberNine]

No one needs a phone like this. It's an overengineered liability.
That's exactly why they must have it.