Preorders for Apple's first foldable, the iPhone Duo, opened on Friday, October 16, a week before the handset is slated to hit retail, but the wait for many users will be much longer. Apple's jump into the foldable market triggered a preorder sales frenzy with initial allocations for the device that starts at $1,999 selling out within minutes, pushing new preorders into January 2027. However, there is a way to get one sooner.
Foldables have been around for some time now, though only within the Android ecosystem or via Chinese builds like HarmonyOS. That changes with the iPhone Duo. It is the first iOS device to embrace the increasingly popular form factor, and Apple is presumably selling them faster than it can procure them.
"The preorder demand for iPhone Duo, our first foldable iPhone, has been nothing short of extraordinary. We are working hard to get this revolutionary new product into customers’ hands as quickly as possible," Apple said in a statement, according to the Financial Times.
How much of that is true versus Apple testing the waters with a lower-than-usual allotment for a new iPhone model is something only Apple and its suppliers know. It's also possible that component shortages hampered the launch. Regardless, the expectation has always been that Apple would give the foldable segment a jolt with the iPhone Duo, given how popular Apple products have become, and that is exactly what we are seeing so far.
While the internet debates Apple's statement, anyone interested in snagging an iPhone Duo ahead of 2027 has a few options. Best Buy has several models for in-store pickup as early as November 10 or December 14, both of which are well in time for Christmas.
The caveat is that the available models are tied to either AT&T or Verizon. If you want an unlocked iPhone Duo that you can pair with a service on your own, you'll need to either buy directly from Apple or see if your carrier of choice has one available. Here is what's up for grabs at Best Buy:
- iPhone Duo 256GB, AT&T: December 14
- iPhone Duo 256GB, Verizon: December 14
- iPhone Duo 512GB, AT&T: November 10
- iPhone Duo 512GB, Verizon: November 10
- iPhone Duo 1TB, AT&T: November 10
- iPhone Duo 1TB, Verizon: November 10
- iPhone Duo 2TB, AT&T: December 14
- iPhone Duo 2TB, Verizon: December 14
If you are determined to get an unlocked model without carrier strings attached, your only remaining option before next year is trying your luck in-store on launch day. Apple traditionally reserves a modest allotment of devices for same-day walk-in shoppers, though given how quickly preorders sold out, you can expect lots of competition on October 23 as well.
Paul is a seasoned geek who cut this teeth on the Commodore 64. When he's not geeking out to tech, he's out riding his Harley and collecting stray cats.