Sold Out Within Minutes

Apple faced extraordinary demand when iPhone Duo pre-orders — its first foldable phone — opened on Friday (10/16/2026). Initial stock sold out within minutes in the United States and many other countries, forcing shipping estimates back to late January 2027.

On Apple's official US online store, every iPhone Duo configuration showed a shipping estimate of January 25, 2027 or later — far from the planned October 23, 2026 retail launch. Similar conditions were reported in Malaysia, Canada, and dozens of other countries.

Supply Strained in Dozens of Countries

In Malaysia, pre-orders opened at 8:00 PM local time on October 16 and sold out within an hour at most authorized retailers and carriers. Apple's Malaysia online store now shows a January 22, 2027 shipping estimate. In Canada, all variants now carry February 2027 shipping dates.

The simultaneous global supply crunch across more than 70 countries reflects manufacturing challenges in assembling foldable devices to high quality standards. Supply chain analyst Jeff Pu previously projected iPhone Duo production capacity at around six million units this year, below Apple's initial target.

Pre-order Slots Resold for $5,000 on eBay

Scarcity has fueled a hot secondary market. On eBay, confirmed iPhone Duo pre-order slots are being resold at sky-high prices. The 2TB Night Sky variant, officially priced at $3,199, sold for up to $4,999.99 — a premium of nearly $1,800 over retail. The 512GB variant was reported selling near $4,000.

Apple called pre-order demand "nothing short of extraordinary" in its official statement. The company said it is working hard to get the revolutionary device into consumers' hands as quickly as possible.

Apple's First Foldable Phone Specs

The iPhone Duo is Apple's first foldable phone, featuring a 7.6-inch foldable main display and a 5.4-inch cover screen in a titanium body. It comes in Star White and Night Sky, priced from $1,999 for the 256GB variant up to $3,199 for 2TB.

According to IDC, foldables currently account for only about 2 percent of global units but nearly 7 percent of industry revenue. Apple is the first major player to bring the foldable form factor to its massive consumer base, and market response is a real test of that design bet.