If you didn’t have your finger on the button at 5 a.m. Pacific this morning, you’re probably getting an iPhone Duo next year.
Apple opened preorders for its first foldable at 5 a.m. PT today. The earliest buyers will get theirs on launch day, Friday, October 23. By 5:30 a.m. PT, according to MacRumors, Apple’s U.S. online store was showing a January 25 delivery date for every configuration: both colors, Star White and Night Sky, and every storage tier from 256GB to 2TB.
That puts new online orders past the holidays. MacRumors followed up an hour later with the obvious headline: the Duo is sold out for Christmas through Apple’s online store.
How fast it went
Investing.com reports that delivery estimates first slipped into November before jumping to late January. It also notes Apple shares rose about 2% in premarket trading Friday on the news.
Pickup is gone too, for now. Apple briefly let preorder customers choose in-store pickup, then switched it off. The store now tells customers to check back on Saturday, October 24.
Demand, or a short supply line?
Both, almost certainly, and Apple isn’t saying how much of each. It hasn’t disclosed how many units were available this morning, so a January ship date doesn’t tell you how many Duos were actually sold.
What we do know points to a thin first batch. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman had already said supply would be limited, which we covered when Apple Stores loaded up on demo units last weekend. In September, a source close to Foxconn’s supply chain told China’s Jiemian News that final assembly yields were only a little above 60%, as AppleInsider reported. The same source estimated it could take six months to a year for yields to mature under Apple’s quality standards. A foldable OLED panel from Samsung Display and a hinge with more than 100 parts don’t make that easier.
So read today’s sellout carefully. It’s a real signal that people want a $1,999 iPhone that folds. It isn’t proof yet of how big that market is.
If you still want one before January
You have a few options, none of them guaranteed:
- Walk in on October 23. Some Apple Stores may have Duos for walk-in customers on launch day. Expect very tight stock.
- Check pickup on October 24 and after. Apple says pickup reservations come back Saturday. Inventory tends to show up in small drops, so checking more than once a day helps.
- Try other retailers. The Verge notes the unlocked Duo is also on preorder at Best Buy, and carriers have their own stock.
- Compare carrier deals while you wait. Per The Verge, AT&T is offering up to $1,200 off with a qualifying trade-in, paid out as 36 monthly bill credits. T-Mobile offers up to $1,000 off with an eligible trade-in on its Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plans. Verizon is waiving its $40 activation fee for new customers and listing the Duo at $55.55 a month over 36 months at 0% APR.
If you do land one, budget for protection. Apple’s out-of-warranty fee for the Duo’s inner screen is $999 without AppleCare+.
What to watch
- Ship dates over the weekend. If Apple’s estimates move earlier, it found more supply. If they move later, demand is still outrunning it.
- China. Duo preorders in China opened today too. Early wait times there will show whether the crunch is global or mostly a U.S. story.
- October 24. The first look at how many pickup slots Apple’s stores actually get.
Reporting reference: MacRumors ↗