Apple has opened pre-orders for the iPhone Duo, its first foldable phone, and within half an hour every configuration was sold out. Delivery estimates in Apple’s online store have slipped to the end of January 2027, and resale listings are appearing with a markup close to the price of the phone itself.
This article contains affiliate links. If you buy something through them, the site earns a small commission from AliExpress, and the price you pay stays the same.
How the launch went
Pre-orders opened on Friday 16 October at 8am New York time, which is 1pm in the UK. According to Forbes and The Next Web, after roughly 30 minutes every colour and storage size had moved to pre-order status with delayed shipping. In Apple’s US store the delivery date shifted to 25 January, and some buyers saw 29 January. GSMArena checked stores in the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, India, Australia, New Zealand and China, and got 22 January everywhere.
Apple originally planned to start shipping on 23 October, a week after pre-orders opened. That remains the on-sale date in physical stores, but in-store stock for launch day appears to have run out almost immediately too. GSMArena estimates that a few of the quickest buyers may still receive their phone on the original date.
What we know about the phone
The iPhone Duo folds like a book. It has a 5.4-inch screen on the outside and a 7.6-inch display inside when opened. GSMArena reports an A20 Pro processor and a dual main camera. There are two colours: Star White and Night Sky.
US prices are as follows:
- 256GB: $1,999;
- 1TB: $2,599;
- 2TB: $3,199.
In Apple’s UK store the base 256GB model costs £1,999. There are no independent reviews yet, so for now the hinge quality, how visible the crease is and battery life can only be judged by Apple’s own promises.
Why there are so few phones
The first pre-order wave covers more than 70 countries and regions, including the US, the UK, Germany, France, China, Japan, India, Turkey and the UAE. Demand runs into limited production. Analyst Jeff Pu estimates this year’s iPhone Duo output at 6 million units, down from an earlier figure of 7 million. Counterpoint Research expects sales at about the same level, around 6 million devices by the end of the year.
For comparison, GSMArena cites estimates that the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max will together sell 72 million units by the end of 2026. In its first year the foldable iPhone is a niche product, so a shortage is more a pattern than a surprise.
The scalpers have arrived
Forbes notes that eBay listings are about $1,800 above the official price. A 2TB Night Sky model sold there for $4,999.99, and a 1TB model for $4,400. Keep in mind that these sellers are not selling a phone but a place in the queue: the device has not shipped yet, and the buyer depends entirely on the seller’s honesty.
What this means for buyers
If you want an iPhone Duo, you will not get one quickly or at a normal price. Resale sellers will almost certainly ask far more than Apple does in the first months. There are a few sensible options.
- Wait for reviews. This is Apple’s first foldable, and first-generation folding phones often draw complaints about the crease and durability. Independent tests will appear before you could realistically get your hands on the phone.
- Do not pay scalpers. A $1,800 markup only buys time. After the first wave, supply usually improves and the hype fades.
- Look at the competition. Samsung is already cutting prices on its foldables: on Amazon UK the 512GB Galaxy Z Fold8 is down by £370 to £1,499, and the 512GB Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is down by £560 to £1,509. That is cheaper than the base iPhone Duo, with twice the storage.
- Upgrade your accessories now. A good charger and a decent holder will be useful with any new phone, and you can buy them in advance without queueing.
What to buy while your new phone is on its way
Below are accessories that sell in large numbers on AliExpress. They work with current iPhones and Android phones. It is too early to talk about compatibility with the iPhone Duo specifically, since Apple has not revealed every detail about charging, so base your choice on the phone you have now.
Baseus GaN 45W
A compact gallium nitride wall charger from Baseus with a USB-C port and PD support. 45W is plenty for fast phone charging, and the unit takes up little space in a bag. It is sold by the brand’s official store.
Price on 18 October: £13.85
Sold: 9729+ pcs, positive reviews: 97.9%
View on AliExpress
GaN 65W 2-in-1 wall charger
The best-selling option in its category: almost 20,000 purchases recently at a price of around £2.25. The box includes EU, US and UK plugs, so it is easy to take on trips. 65W is more than enough for a phone, but if you want to charge a laptop, check what each port delivers.
Price on 18 October: £2.25
Sold: 19459+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
View on AliExpress
TOPK magnetic vent mount
The holder clips onto a car air vent and grips the phone with magnets. It suits iPhones with MagSafe, and other phones if you stick on a metal plate. More than 12,000 sales and 98% positive reviews.
Price on 18 October: £3.71
Sold: 12626+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
View on AliExpress
In short
The iPhone Duo launched the way a first foldable from Apple was always going to: huge interest, limited supply and a queue stretching to the end of January. The sensible move is to wait for reviews and normal prices, and meanwhile look at Samsung’s foldables, which are already getting cheaper, or simply refresh the charger and holder you use with your current phone.
