Apple iPhone Duo Sees ‘Extraordinary’ Pre-Order Demand, Delivery Delays Extend Into 2027

Mumbai, October 18: Apple's foray into the foldable smartphone market with its groundbreaking iPhone Duo has been met with overwhelming consumer response, prompting the Cupertino giant to acknowledge "extraordinary" pre-order demand. This unprecedented demand has, however, resulted in substantial delivery delays, with many customers now facing wait times extending into early next year for the highly anticipated device.

The iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable smartphone, was unveiled during a marquee Apple Event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, on September 9, 2026. Pre-orders for the innovative handset commenced on Friday, October 16, 2026, with official availability slated for Friday, October 23, 2026. However, within minutes of pre-orders opening, shipping estimates quickly stretched from late October into November, then December, and for some configurations, as far out as January or even February 2027.

Apple Addresses Demand Surge

In a statement, an Apple representative affirmed, "The pre-order demand for iPhone Duo, our first foldable iPhone, has been nothing short of extraordinary." The company added that it is "working hard to get this revolutionary new product into customers' hands as quickly as possible, and we will continue accepting orders online." This marks one of the most severe iPhone launch backlogs in recent years, highlighting immense consumer interest in Apple's entry into the foldable segment.

iPhone Duo: A Look at the Foldable Marvel

The iPhone Duo introduces a distinctive design, featuring a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR inner display when unfolded, complemented by a 5.4-inch outer display. Powering this innovative device is Apple's new A20 Pro chip, boasting a 6-core CPU, a 7-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, and a dual 16-core Neural Engine. It runs on iOS 27.1, delivering powerful AI capabilities. The device comes with 12GB of RAM and storage options ranging from 256GB to a massive 2TB.

For photography enthusiasts, the iPhone Duo is equipped with a 48MP Fusion Main camera, a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide lens, and a 2x optical-quality telephoto lens on the rear. The front features a 12MP Center Stage camera. Battery capacity offers up to 44 hours of video playback using the outer display. Colour options include elegant Night Sky and Star White.

India Pricing and Availability

In India, the iPhone Duo is expected to be priced as follows:

These prices reflect Apple's premium positioning for its first foldable device in the Indian market.

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max Also Launched

Notably, the iPhone Duo was launched concurrently with Apple's latest flagship smartphones, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, also unveiled on September 9, 2026. Pre-orders for these models began on September 12, 2026, with general availability from September 18, 2026. While demand for these models also led to some delivery slips into October, the delays for the foldable iPhone Duo have been significantly more pronounced, underscoring its unique appeal and possibly limited initial production.

The iPhone 18 Pro features a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max boasts a larger 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel. Both are powered by the same A20 Pro chip as the iPhone Duo, offering an advanced 48MP Pro Fusion camera system with a variable aperture main sensor. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at expected ₹1,64,900 for the 256GB variant in India, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max begins at expected ₹1,79,900 for the same storage. Both are available in Black, Silver, Glacier, and the new Burgundy finish.

Disclaimer: AI tools assisted in compiling the foundational data and research for this report. The final content was reviewed, edited and verified by human editors at LatestLY.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 18, 2026 06:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).