Apple's iPhone Duo sells out in China within minutes as deliveries slip to January
In short
Apple's first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, opened preorders at 8 p.m. on October 16 and, per Chinese outlets, sold out across models within about a minute. Apple's China website later showed an estimated delivery date of January 22, 2027, while the first batch is due on October 23. Apple said preorder demand was extraordinary.
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Apple's first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, opened preorders at 8 p.m. Beijing time on October 16, with global sales set for October 23. Jiemian reported that Apple's website and app were overwhelmed and that the flagship-store pages on e-commerce platforms briefly lagged. GeekPark said purchase pages at times would not open. CLS reported that all models sold out about a minute after sales began, and cnBeta said the phone showed as sold out on JD and Tmall. [ 5 , 9 , 17 , 27 , 32 ]
Delivery dates moved quickly. On the morning of October 17, Jiemian found that Apple's China website showed an estimated shipping date of January 22, 2027 for new orders. Leiphone cited January 23, 2027, and IT Home saw January 23 for a 512GB model delivered to Qingdao. cnBeta reported that on Apple's US site the estimated delivery date had reached January 25, 2027 within about half an hour of preorders opening. Jiemian said only buyers who paid in the first batch would receive the phone on October 23. [ 14 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 36 ]
Apple said, as relayed by IT Home from a Financial Times report, that preorder demand for the iPhone Duo was extraordinary and that it was working to get the phone to customers as soon as possible. In China the phone starts at 15,999 yuan for 256GB, with 17,999 yuan for 512GB, 21,499 yuan for 1TB and 26,499 yuan for 2TB. CLS and Jiemian reported that Apple shares rose more than 2% in premarket trading on October 16. [ 7 , 9 , 12 , 25 , 32 ]
Resale prices rose quickly. Jiemian, citing Dewu, reported average prices of 28,642 yuan for the 1TB black model, 7,143 yuan above its official price, and 22,085 yuan for the 256GB black model, up about 38%. CLS and Jiemian said sellers on Xianyu listed agent-purchase services for 700 to 1,000 yuan. Yicai reported that some shops in Huaqiangbei had only a few units and that some bundled accessories with a surcharge of 5,000 yuan, with some channels at 8,000 yuan. [ 11 , 13 , 16 , 37 ]
A later Jiemian report said premiums had eased. A large Apple dealer told the outlet that scalpers were now paying about 2,500 yuan over the official price, and that he expected a premium of three to four thousand yuan on launch day, falling afterwards. On Xianyu, premiums had fallen to 2,000 to 3,000 yuan from 3,500 to 5,000 yuan the day before. [ 38 ]
Outlets linked the delays to supply. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman wrote that Apple appeared to have launched the phone before supply was sufficient and believed a reasonable level of supply would come in November at the earliest. Jiemian cited supply-chain information of a 65% yield and output of a few hundred units a day. TrendForce forecast 5 million iPhone Duo shipments for 2026. The dealer quoted by Jiemian said stock was not as scarce as imagined because Foxconn had been producing for months. [ 5 , 28 , 32 , 38 ]
Apple Executive Chairman Tim Cook visited Shanghai on October 15 and told Jiemian and other media that the iPhone Duo is manufactured exclusively in China. Jiemian also reported that JD reservations had passed 2.6 million. [ 5 ]
Why it matters
Outlets tie the delivery delays to limited supply of the first foldable iPhone, and IT Home's account of a Financial Times report called such delays rare for Apple. Resale prices were reported well above official ones, and Apple shares were reported up more than 2% in premarket trading on October 16.
Key facts
- Preorders for the iPhone Duo opened at 8 p.m. on October 16, with general sale set for October 23. [ 3 , 5 , 32 ]
- China prices start at 15,999 yuan for 256GB, followed by 17,999 yuan (512GB), 21,499 yuan (1TB) and 26,499 yuan (2TB). [ 7 , 32 ]
- CLS and GeekPark reported that all models sold out about a minute after sales began. [ 9 , 27 ]
- On the morning of October 17, Apple's China website showed an estimated shipping date of January 22 for new orders. [ 32 , 36 ]
- On Dewu, the 1TB black model traded at an average of 28,642 yuan, 7,143 yuan above its official price. [ 16 , 32 ]
- Apple said preorder demand for the iPhone Duo was extraordinary and that it was working to deliver the phone as soon as possible. [ 25 , 34 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The iPhone Duo sold out on major Chinese platforms soon after preorders opened at 8 p.m. on October 16. [ 9 , 17 , 27 , 36 ]
- Apple's website pushed estimated delivery for new orders to January 2027, in both China and the United States. [ 14 , 19 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 36 ]
- Apple said preorder demand for the iPhone Duo was extraordinary. [ 24 , 25 , 30 , 34 ]
- Prices in China start at 15,999 yuan for 256GB and reach 26,499 yuan for 2TB. [ 7 , 32 , 36 ]
- Mark Gurman said Apple launched the iPhone Duo before supply was sufficient and expected reasonable supply only in November at the earliest. [ 23 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]
Still unclear
- How many iPhone Duo units will be made. TrendForce forecast 5 million shipments for 2026, GeekPark said analyst Jeff Pu cut his forecast to 6 million from 7 million, and Huxiu cited an industry source for a global stocking target of 6 to 8 million.
- How scarce stock really is. Gurman and supply-chain reports point to tight supply, while a dealer quoted by Jiemian said stock was not as scarce as imagined.
- Whether Apple's stores will have the phone for sale on October 23. Gurman said Apple did not disclose whether its stores would stock the phone on the first day.
- How long the resale premiums will last. Jiemian reported premiums falling from the peak of 7,143 yuan on Dewu, and a dealer expected a premium of three to four thousand yuan on launch day, but one scalper said there was no firm price yet.
- The exact estimated delivery date on Apple's China website. Documents give January 22 and January 23, 2027; IT Home's example was a 512GB model delivered to Qingdao.
- On Dewu the 1TB black iPhone Duo traded 7,143 yuan above its official price. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- On October 16, IT Home reported that Apple's online store was under maintenance ahead of preorders. [ 3 ]
- Preorders opened in China on October 16, and the Apple website, app and e-commerce pages came under heavy load. [ 5 , 14 , 32 ]
- CLS reported that all models had sold out one minute after sales began. [ 9 ]
- Leiphone found that only Apple's website and the Apple Tmall flagship store could still take orders. [ 33 ]
- On October 17, CLS reported that estimated shipping for some orders had slipped to next January. [ 21 ]
- CLS reported that Apple called demand for the iPhone Duo extraordinary. [ 24 ]
- Jiemian reported that scalper premiums had eased from their peak. [ 38 ]