iPhone Duo goes on sale: Apple's first foldable costs $1,999, backordered to January

Apple's first folding smartphone, the iPhone Duo, went on sale on Friday, October 23, 2026, in more than 70 countries, starting at $1,999. Demand was strong but stock was tightly rationed: pre-orders sold out within minutes last week, and new online orders in the US are now quoted for delivery in late January 2027.

Prices and specifications

Storage	US price	UK price
256GB	$1,999	£1,999
512GB	$2,199	£2,199
1TB	$2,599	£2,599
2TB	$3,199	£3,199

Outside the US, the 256GB model costs HK$17,499 (about $2,232) in Hong Kong, and one buyer in Sydney paid A$3,899 (about $2,734) for the 512GB version.

Feature	iPhone Duo
Screens	5.4-inch outer, 7.6-inch inner, both 120Hz OLED
Chip	A20 Pro (2nm)
Rear cameras	48MP main + 48MP ultra-wide (no telephoto)
Front cameras	12MP outer, under-display inner camera
Unlock	Touch ID in the side button (no Face ID)
Battery	Up to 44 hours video (outer screen)
Weight	254g
Thickness	11.3mm closed, 5.2mm open
Colours	Star White, Night Sky

A rationed launch

Apple capped pre-orders, which opened on October 16, at two phones per customer and limited walk-in sales. In China, France, Hong Kong, India and Japan the phone was available on launch day only to people who had pre-ordered online. Apple called the response "nothing short of extraordinary".

Because of the limits, queues were shorter than at past iPhone launches. A line formed before 8 a.m. in Sydney, some fans camped outside the Fifth Avenue store in New York from about 4 a.m., and several dozen people waited overnight in the rain outside the Regent Street store in London. Resellers were among the buyers; one in Hong Kong said he hoped to make about HK$4,000 on each phone.

Background

Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and others have sold folding phones for years, but Apple waited until hinge and screen technology matured. The Duo was announced on September 9 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, a week after John Ternus took over as Apple's chief executive. A further 28 markets get the phone on October 30.

What reviewers and analysts say

Reviewers praised the strong, nearly invisible hinge and the passport-shaped inner screen, which one creator said works "as both a phone and an iPad". Criticism focused on the missing telephoto lens and Face ID, the weight, and third-party apps that have not yet been redesigned for the new screen size. Several well-known reviewers said that for typical users who mostly message and browse, the high price is hard to justify.

Research firm IDC expects Apple to capture 44% of foldable-market value and 31% of units in 2026, and to lead the category in both by 2027. IDC's Francisco Jeronimo said Apple "has made a convincing case for this form factor." Wedbush analyst Dan Ives forecast about 10 million Duo sales over the next few quarters.

Why it matters

Foldables have so far been a niche, but Apple's entry usually turns a product category mainstream, as it did with smartwatches and wireless earbuds. Suppliers of flexible screens and hinges in South Korea, China and Taiwan stand to benefit, and rivals are likely to cut foldable prices. For buyers in Pakistan and South Asia, the Duo's price — well over Rs550,000 before local taxes — puts it firmly in the luxury bracket.

What happens next

• October 30: launch in 28 more countries and regions.
• Apple usually reports its July–September quarter results in late October or early November, when investors will look for early Duo demand signals.
• App developers are expected to release updates optimised for the larger inner screen in the coming weeks.