Apple's $1,999 iPhone Duo shipping dates slipped to January after preorders opened

Apple $AAPL began taking preorders for its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, on Friday, and shipping estimates for new orders moved to Jan. 25 within 30 minutes, according to MacRumors.

Preorders opened at 5 a.m. PT on apple.com and in the Apple Store app, the company said. By 5:30 a.m. PT, Apple's U.S. online store listed Jan. 25 for both colors, star white and night sky, in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB configurations, according to MacRumors. Estimates in the range of December or later appeared within minutes of the opening, according to Bloomberg.

Customers who ordered as preorders opened are due to receive their phones on launch day, according to MacRumors. Bloomberg said some buyers still saw later arrival windows despite following Apple’s advice to lock in a color and capacity in advance. The $1,999 device is due for release Oct. 23, according to Bloomberg.

Apple stores sold through their entire launch-day allotment within minutes of the 8 a.m. ET preorder start, according to Bloomberg. In-store pickup was available for a short time during online preorders, but Apple disabled it and told customers to check back Saturday, Oct. 24, according to MacRumors.

Apple's practice is to hold back a portion of its inventory for shoppers who walk into stores when a phone goes on sale, according to Bloomberg. MacRumors said it is unclear how much supply Apple had on the first day of preorders, and that resellers such as Best Buy $BBY also carry the phone. Bloomberg said supply of the iPhone Duo is constrained.

Apple stock rose 1.8% in premarket trading Friday.

Apple offers 12- and 24-month leases through Apple Upgrade, provided by Klarna, with the iPhone Duo starting at $57.99 a month on a 24-month term, excluding taxes and any trade-in credit, the company said. Apple Trade In credits range from $175 to $885 for an eligible iPhone 13 or newer, the company said.

Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo last month alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at its annual fall event. Preorders for the iPhone 18 Pro models opened Sept. 12, with availability beginning Sept. 18.

Orders for those phones were hassle-free for anyone who got their request in promptly, according to Bloomberg. Bloomberg said getting hold of an iPhone Duo has proved far tougher.