Preorders kicked off Friday and, almost immediately, Apple's site pushed iPhone Duo shipping estimates into January. That wait time covered both color choices and every storage tier, from 256 gigabytes through 2 terabytes. Some buyers on social media said their delivery windows slipped despite following Apple's advice to lock in color and capacity ahead of time.
Apple's retail locations burned through their release-day inventory right after the 8 a.m. New York start. As a result, securing a phone was more difficult than during September's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max debut, when ordering promptly usually did the trick. Apple often holds back some inventory for walk-ins on release day, which could bring back lines at stores when the device officially lands on Oct. 23.
Among the first big launches overseen by John Ternus - Apple's new Chief Executive Officer - is the iPhone Duo; he assumed the role in September amid a whirlwind that also featured the HomeView smart home hub. Bloomberg highlighted an early look at the foldable's engineered hinge, a 7.6-inch inner screen, and an iOS layout reworked for the new form factor. Bloomberg also reported Apple plans to roll out a touch-screen MacBook Pro and other hardware later this month.
On Friday, Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Anurag Rana and Josh Christensen said iPhone Duo sales might exceed their prior fiscal 2027 forecast, which envisioned revenue of $28 billion on 14 million units. They added that steering today's Pro owners to the base Duo would lift the iPhone lineup's average selling price by 82%, and moving Pro Max users to the base foldable would raise it by 67%.
When new product launches reshape consumer attention, stay informed on the economy and markets with the free Market Briefs newsletter.
In New York, Apple's stock rose up to 1.7% to $347.82 before pulling back, and at 11:37 a.m., the gain stood near 1%. The bottom line: early signals point to tight supply and robust interest ahead of the Oct. 23 release, a setup that can support pricing power if Apple sustains demand into the holidays.
Even when tech launches dominate headlines, get a clear five minute read each morning from our free daily Market Briefs.
