Apple's highly anticipated iPhone Duo, its first foldable phone, sold out hours after pre-orders opened, pushing shipping dates to January 22 for most buyers, including those in India. This suggests extremely limited initial supply for the device.
Apple's first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, saw its pre-order stock vanish within hours of going live today, October 17, 2026. For most buyers, the shipping date has now shifted to January 22, a significant delay from the originally planned October 23 launch.
This situation impacts Indian buyers directly, as India was one of the 70-plus countries included in the initial pre-order wave. GSMArena checked Apple's online stores across multiple regions, including India, and found the same January 22 shipping estimate for all colour and storage configurations, even the typically less-demanded 1TB and 2TB variants.
The rapid sell-out and extended wait times point to a severely restricted supply of the iPhone Duo. This aligns with predictions made by analysts like Jeff Pu, who last month cautioned that the iPhone Duo would be challenging to purchase this year due to limited availability.
According to Pu, Apple is expected to produce only 6 million iPhone Duo units this year, a million fewer than its initial target of 7 million. To put this in perspective, Apple anticipates selling a combined 72 million iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max units by the end of this year. This vast difference highlights the exclusive nature of the Duo's launch.
For those in India who missed the initial pre-order window, the online store suggests checking back for in-store pickup availability on October 24. There's also a possibility that third-party retailers might receive their own stock, separate from Apple's direct allocation, though this isn't confirmed.
Given the strong demand and tight supply, Indian consumers eager to get their hands on Apple's first foldable will likely need to exercise patience. If you didn't secure a pre-order today, a trip to a physical Apple store or an authorised reseller could be your best bet for an earlier delivery, but even that isn't guaranteed.
