Apple iPhone Duo sells out in India within an hour, new orders now showing January deliveries

Apple’s first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, appears to have received a strong response in India, with the device selling out within an hour of pre-orders going live on Friday, October 16.

Pre-orders opened at 5:30 PM IST, and within an hour, estimated delivery dates for new orders had slipped to January 23, 2027. This means customers who missed the initial pre-order window could now be looking at a wait of nearly three months.

The iPhone Duo officially goes on sale in India on October 23, with customers who managed to secure early orders expected to receive their devices around the launch date.


ET Digital’s Dhruv Mohan was on ground when the duo was launched you can check out the video here.

You can also check out early impressions here.

Can you track it from the US?

The situation is the same in America, with the demand surging and the device being sold out in 15 minutes.

iPhone Duo India price

The iPhone Duo is Apple’s most expensive iPhone yet, starting at Rs 2,99,900 for the 256GB variant. The 512GB model costs Rs 3,24,900, while the 1TB and 2TB versions are priced at Rs 3,74,900 and Rs 4,49,900, respectively.

For comparison, the iPhone 18 Pro series starts at Rs 1,64,900, making the Duo a significantly more expensive proposition.

Apple is also offering instalment options starting at Rs 48,817 per month, alongside eligible cashback and no-cost EMI offers. In the US, the iPhone Duo starts at $1,999.

Tarun Pathak, Research Director from Counter Point Research acknowledged the demand “Yes, this was expected. Supply is tight, and the early adopters, a narrow pool who want to stand out even within Apple’s lineup, have gone for what’s available. Indian buyers will also split between those buying locally and those sourcing from overseas or grey-market channels, depending on supply.”

iPhone Duo specifications

The iPhone Duo features a 5.4-inch cover display and a larger 7.6-inch foldable display on the inside. Both are Super Retina XDR panels with ProMotion support and peak brightness of up to 3,000 nits.

Powering the device is Apple’s A20 Pro chip, the same processor found in the iPhone 18 Pro series, along with a vapour chamber cooling system.

On the camera front, Apple has included a dual 48MP rear camera setup, a 12MP Center Stage front camera and an under-display FaceTime camera for use when the device is unfolded.

The Duo runs iOS 27.1 with Apple Intelligence features and supports Split View, allowing users to run applications side by side on the larger display.

Despite its foldable design, the device measures 5.2mm when unfolded and 11.3mm when folded, weighing 254 grams. It also comes with IP68-rated water and dust resistance.

Apple claims up to 31 hours of video playback on the inner display, supported by a dual-battery system. Charging options include USB-C and 25W MagSafe with Qi2 support.

Other features include Apple’s C2 modem, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 and eSIM-only connectivity. The device is available in two colours, Star White and Night Sky.

What does the early response indicate?

The initial sellout is certainly an interesting development for Apple, particularly considering the nearly Rs 3 lakh starting price.

However, the longer delivery timeline does not necessarily indicate how many units Apple has sold in India, as the company has not disclosed pre-order numbers or initial inventory.

What it does suggest is that there is early interest in Apple’s first foldable iPhone, even at a price significantly higher than its existing flagship models. Whether that interest translates into sustained demand will become clearer once the device reaches customers.