Apple opened pre-orders for the iPhone Duo, the company's first foldable smartphone, on October 16, 2026. Starting at 2,299 euros for the base model with 256 GiB of storage, the device is available in four storage tiers, with the most expensive 2 TB variant priced at 3,799 euros. This makes the iPhone Duo the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever released. Despite the premium pricing, demand vastly exceeded expectations, resulting in immediate sell-outs within minutes of the pre-order launch. Customers are currently facing delivery dates extending into late January, underscoring the high market anticipation for the new product category.
The instant sell-out has triggered significant price hikes in the secondary market. Resellers on platforms such as eBay are demanding premiums of up to 32 percent above the regular retail price, with the 2 TB model reaching as high as 5,530 euros in isolated cases. According to reports by tech journalist Mark Gurman, this scarcity is due to Apple launching the device prematurely before mass production had fully scaled up. Sufficient inventory is not expected to be available until November, leading to the initial logistical bottlenecks.
Technically, the iPhone Duo is powered by the new A20 Pro chip and features a specialized titanium hinge composed of over 100 individual parts. This complex mechanism is designed to eliminate the visible crease line that plagues many competing foldable devices. However, experts suggest that the intricate manufacturing process of this hinge is a primary contributor to the restrictive production strategy and the current supply delays. Additionally, the foldable device is slightly heavier than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, a trade-off for its unique form factor.
Critics have noted that the iPhone Duo omits several features found in the standard flagship lineup to accommodate its folding design. Specifically, the device lacks a dedicated telephoto lens; instead, it features a duo-camera system offering only 2x optical zoom. Furthermore, the inclusion of Face ID is missing, which may affect the user experience for those accustomed to Apple's facial recognition ecosystem. Despite these compromises, the device is priced above comparable foldable models from Samsung and Google, targeting a premium clientele willing to pay for the Apple ecosystem integration and raw chip performance.
The launch of the iPhone Duo marks a strategic pivot for Apple in the foldable display market. While the initial supply shortage and aggressive resale prices indicate robust demand, the situation raises questions regarding long-term production capacity and value proposition. Apple now faces the challenge of meeting demand through November and December to prevent prolonged wait times from cooling consumer enthusiasm, all while consolidating its position in the high-end smartphone segment.