iPhone Duo launch: Resellers book 100 foldables, get 42 devices worth Dh600,000 on Day 1

[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times' live blog for updates on the iPhone Duo launch in UAE.]

Raihan and Mohammed Shabeeb did not come to Dubai Mall to collect one Apple iPhone Duo. They came for 42. They had booked 100 of Apple’s new foldable phones and were set to pay around Dh600,000 for the first batch they received on launch day, October 23.

The two had been buying Apple products in bulk since the iPhone 11 launch, receiving more than 1,000 devices over the years. This time, they were collecting phones from different locations, including Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates and Al Ain.

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“The demand is too high right now. People are already selling some devices at around double the price. Even the 256GB version is going for around Dh25,000 in the market. These phones will go everywhere, not only stay in the UAE,” said Raihan.

But away from the bulk bookings and conversations around resale values, the mood inside the store was also shaped by people who had waited years to see Apple enter the foldable-phone market.

For Artemii Golovinov, a Russian software engineer who lives in Dubai, the device represented more than a new screen that folds in half. He saw potential for game developers and a different kind of mobile experience.

“It is basically a brand-new experience for users,” said Golovinov. “With a new form factor come a lot of challenges, but also interesting opportunities, especially for gaming start-ups. The state of mobile gaming is not great at the moment, but I think there is potential for better games on this phone. I see Apple Duo as a good try and a step in the right direction.”

He said he had owned only one iPhone before but wanted to find out what Apple’s new device could do.

For Moideen Athar Gawai, a Deira-based sales executive, the launch came down to three minutes of persistence. He began trying to book shortly after 4pm on Friday and managed to secure two phones at 4.03pm.

“I also received the iPhone 18 Pro Max on its first day, but this is something very new because it is Apple’s foldable phone,” Gawai said. “I am excited to use it and see what different features Apple has added. The camera clarity also looks very good.”

For Manoj Lakhiani and Nandini Hingoranee, the wait had become a family affair. They had repeatedly tried to book the phones themselves, only for their 11-year-old son to succeed where they could not. He secured four Apple Duo devices for his parents.

“We have been waiting for Apple’s foldable phone for around two years,” the couple said. “Every time a new iPhone launched, we kept wondering when Apple would finally bring out a foldable model. When Apple Duo was finally launched, we tried to book it ourselves but could not get through. Our 11-year-old son managed to book four devices for us.”

They are attending a gathering next week and they said that it was the perfect time to receive it. "Now I can flaunt my new device," he said, in a joking manner.

At the handover counter, Zakir Ali and his brother said they were the first customers to receive the phones at the store. The brothers bought six devices in total, including a white 256GB model.

“This is something completely new from Apple,” Ali said. “It is different from other phones because it is Apple’s first foldable phone. I bought the iPhone 18 on its launch day too, but this is different. Alhamdulillah, I am very happy.”

Faisal Rahman, a UAE resident originally from Multan, Pakistan, was collecting five devices for himself and his family. His order included two 512GB models and three 256GB models in blue and white.

He had also bought the iPhone 14, iPhone 16 and iPhone 18 Pro Max on their respective launch days.

“I feel absolutely lucky to get them,” said Rahman. “I am very, very excited to get Apple Duo because it is something completely new from Apple.”

From resellers booking around 100 phones to an 11-year-old securing four for his parents, Apple Duo’s Dubai launch brought together collectors, families, early adopters and buyers determined to be among the first to hold Apple’s new foldable device.