Missed the iPhone Duo Pre-Order? You May Have to Wait Until January

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-Divyanshi Sharma

Published: Saturday,
October 17, 2026, 11:37 [IST]

Apple’s first foldable iPhone is already proving difficult to get. And no, price isn’t the reason. Even if you have the budget, you may have to wait till January to get your hands on the iPhone Duo incase you haven’t pre-ordered it already. The phone opened for pre-orders on October 16, with deliveries initially scheduled to begin on October 23.

However, just hours after pre-orders went live, Apple’s online store started showing a shipping date of January 22, 2027 in several major markets.

The delay suggests that demand for Apple’s first foldable smartphone could be outstripping the available supply. While some users may still receive their phones on the original delivery date, those who missed the initial pre-order window could face a wait of several months.

A check of Apple’s online stores in the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, India, Australia, New Zealand and China reportedly showed the January 22 shipping date across different colour and storage options. Even the higher-storage variants were not showing earlier delivery dates.

Why is the iPhone Duo Delayed

Usually, more expensive storage variants can remain available for longer because users tend to favour cheaper models. However, the reported delays across the iPhone Duo’s different configurations suggest that supply may be limited across the range, rather than just for one particular variant.

Apple has not yet confirmed the reason for the extended shipping timelines. However, the situation lines up with an earlier prediction from analyst Jeff Pu, who said last month that the iPhone Duo would be difficult to buy this year because of supply constraints.

According to the analyst, Apple could produce around 6 million iPhone Duo units this year, down from an earlier target of 7 million. It is to be noted that these figures have not been confirmed by Apple.

Can You Still Get the iPhone Duo Earlier?

If you do not want to wait until January, it is best to check availability at physical Apple Stores. Apple’s online store reportedly showed a message asking customers to check back for in-store pickup availability on October 24.

Third-party retailers may also have stock that is separate from the units allocated to Apple’s own online store. However, availability will depend on the retailer and the number of units it has received.

Note: The iPhone Duo pre-order launch covers more than 70 countries and regions, including India, the US, the UK, Australia, China, Japan, Singapore and the UAE. While the reported shipping dates point to tight supply in several major markets, availability may differ between retailers and locations.