iPhone Duo Sales Begin Worldwide as Demand Outpaces Supply
Sales of Apple’s first folding phone, the iPhone Duo, began on Friday, October 23, with queues forming outside the first stores to stock it and delivery dates for online orders already slipping to late January.
Market watchers are asking whether Apple can reinvent the small foldables market in the way the iPhone once reinvented smartphones — and whether the response will define the early months of new chief executive John Ternus.
Launch day scenes
Sydney hosted the first Apple store to sell the phones on Friday, with customers queuing outside before the 8am opening. Simon Krishnan, a 48-year-old engineer, paid A$3,899 (about $2,734) for a 512GB model.
“This is a bit of a luxury item for me, because it’s so expensive, but I just think, you know what? Life’s too short,” he said.
In Shanghai, Liu Wei, a 26-year-old healthcare professional who already owns a foldable phone from Xiaomi, queued outside a central Apple store from 6am to buy Apple’s first foldable. “I’ve used Apple products for many years and I have more trust (in the brand), so I bought one on launch day to try it out,” he said.
Within minutes of pre-orders opening on October 16, Apple’s estimated delivery dates had slipped to late January as demand outpaced supply. The company called the response from customers “nothing short of extraordinary.” Apple capped pre-orders at two handsets per customer, and in China, France, Hong Kong, India and Japan, units were available only to customers who had ordered online.
A test for Apple and its new CEO
The Duo’s reception could prove an early test for Ternus, the former hardware chief who unveiled the phone barely a week after taking charge in September. It also carries weight for the foldables category itself, where Samsung and Huawei have sold premium folding phones for several years without turning them into a mass-market product.
Early reviews have praised the Duo’s design and its sturdy, barely visible hinge — a genuine achievement in a category where the creased screen has long been a drawback that put buyers off.
China presents a particular question. A soft consumer market and rising memory costs have driven six straight quarters of declining smartphone shipments there. Apple’s market share has rebounded as some buyers trade up to premium devices while others seek value at the lower end, squeezing mid-range brands — a split the expensive Duo plays directly into.
What Pakistani buyers get
Pakistan was not left waiting this time. Mercantile Pakistan, Apple’s authorised distributor in the country, launched the iPhone Duo locally on global launch day, with limited stock available from day one — read our full report on the iPhone Duo’s launch in Pakistan with a one-year Apple warranty.
Every unit sold through the official channel is PTA approved and carries a one-year official Apple warranty. That matters more than usual on a first-generation foldable, where the hinge is the most failure-prone part and authorised repair is the difference between a fix and a write-off.
The phone itself
The Duo opens into a 7.6-inch inner display with a 5.4-inch outer screen, both OLED with 120Hz ProMotion. It runs on the A20 Pro chip, carries two 48MP rear cameras, and uses Touch ID in the side button instead of Face ID. Storage runs from 256GB to 2TB, with pricing starting at $1,999 in the United States.
The October 23 launch covers more than 70 countries and regions, including the US and UK, with another 28 markets following on October 30.
For more on Apple’s latest devices, read about the iPhone 18 Pro speaker issue, how to clear cache on iPhone, and the Samsung Galaxy M08 and F08 launch.
Sources: Dawn (Reuters), Macworld
Frequently asked questions
When did the iPhone Duo go on sale?
Sales began on Friday, October 23, 2026, following pre-orders from October 16. The launch covers more than 70 countries and regions, with another 28 markets following on October 30.
How much does the iPhone Duo cost?
Pricing starts at $1,999 in the US for the 256GB model. In Sydney, a 512GB model sold for A$3,899 (about $2,734) on launch day.
Is the iPhone Duo available in Pakistan?
Yes. Mercantile Pakistan launched it locally on global launch day with PTA-approved stock and a one-year official Apple warranty.
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Image note: real photo — customers queuing outside an Apple Store on launch day or the iPhone Duo retail display (Reuters/Dawn wire photo). No AI-generated imagery.
