Apple Reports "Extraordinary" Pre-Order Demand for iPhone Duo, Shipping Delayed to Late January Next Year

BlockBeats News, October 17: Apple announced that the pre-order demand for its first foldable smartphone, iPhone Duo, is "extraordinary." Within minutes of pre-orders opening, the shipping timeline was pushed from November to December, and subsequently further delayed to late January 2027. All storage configurations, ranging from 256GB to 2TB, and all color options are affected. Apple stated it is working to improve delivery efficiency, with the first batch of shipments scheduled to begin on October 23. The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999, with the highest configuration priced at $3,200. It features a 7.6-inch inner display and a redesigned iOS experience tailored for the foldable form factor. Apple is facing the widespread component shortage affecting the consumer electronics industry this year, particularly a lack of memory chip supply, which has also forced price increases across its entire product lineup. Later this month, Apple is set to launch a touchscreen MacBook Pro and other devices. Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Anurag Rana and Josh Christensen have raised their sales forecasts, predicting that iPhone Duo sales could surpass the previous estimate of 14 million units and $28 billion in revenue for Apple's 2027 fiscal year. If the model successfully attracts existing iPhone Pro and Pro Max users to upgrade, the overall average selling price of iPhones could see a significant boost. Apple's stock price rose 0.43% on Friday, closing at $343.46, with a 1.61% increase over the past five days.