Unfolding its wing and stretching out for its maiden flight, Apple’s iPhone Duo is all set to open pre-orders on October 16, 2026, 5 AM PT/8 AM ET. The announcement of Apple’s first foldable phone has been the talk of the town in recent weeks, generating significant conversation and controversy in equal measure. After years of mild bullying for falling behind competitors and failing to do something truly innovative with its smartphone lineup, the sudden announcement of the Apple iPhone Duo came as somewhat of a surprise to many.
A smartphone starting at $1,999 may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it appears that there is some degree of confidence in the product’s sales. Estimates from Counterpoint Research indicate that Apple could sell 6 million iPhone Duos this year, which is certainly an ambitious estimate for a product that’s the first of its kind from Apple, complete with the most unusual set of dimensions for a smartphone we’ve seen recently.
Are You Ready for the iPhone Duo Pre-Orders or Did Apple Lose You with Its Latest Offering?
Apple iPhone Duo pre-orders open on October 16, and the smartphones will be widely available later in the month on October 23, with a more global launch on October 30, 2026. What’s more, fans who are bubbling with excitement and want a head start on putting their order together can reportedly get ready for the iPhone Duo pre-orders early on October 12. Yes, there’s a pre-pre-order phase, and it’s designed to allow customers to confirm the details of what they’d like to include in their purchase.
This gives them time to pick the color (Star White or Night Sky), add the accessories, select the storage option to determine the price, select their carrier, add in a payment method, and add all their billing and delivery details on the online store or Apple Store app. For those who are worried about the pre-order queue filling up too quickly, this should help with having all the details ready to go on D-day.
Multiple reports indicate that, much like the design phase of the phone, the production phase continues to be similarly rocky, with yield problems and quality conflicts likely to make this iPhone Duo launch a more limited release until production can pick up the pace. Considering this is Apple’s first foldable, there are expectations that the company will face challenges in the devices’ release, but just how severe this will be remains to be seen. As a result, it could be possible that device availability will vary in the initial few months, and getting your orders in early could help secure it quickly.
The Apple iPhone Duo is Priced as Brazenly as One Might Expect
Apple is known for selling brand exclusivity as part of the appeal of buying one of its products, so a high price tag was a given with the iPhone Duo. The price of the smartphone varies solely based on storage configuration and no other features, with the most affordable version being the 256GB model for $1,999. The 512GB is priced at $2,199, the 1TB at $2,599, and the 2TB at $3,199.
These prices aren’t entirely outrageous as fold phones go, but if the folding mechanism is what makes the phones a premium purchase, then even the 512GB Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold is marked at a more humble $2,899 in comparison, despite its additional fold. Samsung’s other tried-and-tested fold and flip phones like the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra go up to $2,399.99 for 1TB of storage. None of these phones are particularly affordable, nor do they intend to have mass appeal, but it does highlight Apple’s tendency to put a pretty price tag on its untested, experimental releases. Considering its loyal fanbase, however, the company likely knows that it can pull this off.
Funnily enough, the much-celebrated Apple Vision was initially released for $3,499, and a full-fledged 14‑inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro can be purchased at $2,199. Smartphone pricing has taken us on strange paths in recent years, and while these advanced mini pocket-computers are certainly central to our lives, it does lead us to question if a fragile folding mechanism could truly justify these prices. It might, considering the effort needed to put these devices together to withstand 24/7 usage.
The tangential tirade on pricing aside, the excitement around the iPhone Duo certainly makes us curious to see how Apple’s pre-order phase and overall sales for the device go in the coming months, and how the A20 Pro chip manages to perform in this boxy beauty.
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