Korean iPhone Duo pre-orders open; Apple store delivery estimate slips to January

South Korean pre-orders for Apple's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, opened at 21:00 on October 16 ahead of the official October 23 release. About 30 minutes after ordering opened, Apple's online store showed a delivery date of January 23, 2027 for a Seoul address, Newsis reported. It said the same estimate appeared for both colours and all four storage capacities, although customers could still place orders. [ 2 , 18 ]

Newsis cautioned that the delay alone could not establish actual sales volume because Apple had not disclosed its initial Korean allocation or pre-order sales. It also said stocks were allocated separately to mobile carriers, so delays on Apple's store did not immediately mean SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus had exhausted their own supplies. Delivery schedules could change with additional stock and the development of reservation orders, the outlet said. [ 18 ]

Korean prices are 3.29 million won for 256GB, 3.59 million won for 512GB, 4.19 million won for 1TB and 5.09 million won for 2TB, according to Hankook Ilbo. Yonhap described a book-style inward fold, a 5.4-inch external screen and a 7.6-inch internal display. The phone has an A20 Pro chip and a 48-megapixel dual Fusion main camera, according to the agency. [ 5 , 12 ]

The three carriers offered trade-in, subscription and replacement programmes to attract customers. Seoul Shinmun reported that actual discounts depend on factors including the selected tariff and spending on partner cards. It said LG Uplus offered a programme costing 18,000 won a month, under which customers returning the device from the sixth month and switching to a new iPhone could receive up to 70% of its launch price in points. Separately, ZDNet Korea cited industry sources identifying supplies of Nittobo's T-glass and Foxconn's production yield as potential constraints on iPhone Duo deliveries. [ 2 , 17 ]