iPhone Duo pre-orders opened today, but if you weren’t there right at the start, you likely now can’t get one before 2027. That makes the iPhone Duo launch a massive success, but also reflects a missed opportunity for Apple.
Before the iPhone Duo was unveiled last month, I was unsure how the public would respond to the new model. Would it seem too weird compared to standard iPhones? Would the $2,000+ price tag limit early adopters to tech enthusiasts like me?
Yet in my estimation, Apple has pulled off a basically flawless product introduction.
Starting with the September 9 unveiling, iPhone Duo’s marketing rollout has been among the best I’ve seen from Apple. The company knew it had a uniquely special product, and has given it the first-class treatment.
Anecdotally, iPhone Duo has stirred more excitement than any other recent model I can remember. Not just among “techie” early adopters, not just among the ultra-wealthy, and not even just among current iPhone users. Some of my Android friends even seem very interested.
All of this buzz was seemingly proven genuine by today’s near instant sell-out after pre-orders went live. Current shipping estimates for new orders are pushed back to late January 2027. That’s more than three months backordered—an unprecedented delay.
And today’s launch I think can be described both as a huge win and also a missed opportunity for Apple.
Instant iPhone Duo sellout is both a big win and a problem
It’s remarkable that Apple was able to introduce a foldable iPhone, which costs $2,000+, and instantly sell out. It’s amazing how much interest and excitement the iPhone Duo has garnered from a wide-ranging base of “average consumers.”
But it’s also a big problem that Apple can’t deliver anywhere close to a supply-demand balance for such a desired, ultra-premium product.
It’s not a surprise that the iPhone Duo quickly became backordered. But getting pushed out three months within 30 minutes of pre-orders opening proves just how much trouble Apple has had mass-producing the Duo.
Ideally, Apple would have enough supply to meet demand. More realistically, it should be able to meet initial demand within the first 4-6 weeks or so.
But what we’re seeing is in some ways a worst-case scenario. Not just because customers will be frustrated, but chiefly because Apple is sacrificing a lot of revenue by not being able to deliver the iPhone Duo in a reasonable timeframe.
Again, overall today’s launch is a major win for Apple. But being able to capitalize more fully on its basically flawless iPhone Duo marketing plan would have been an even bigger win. Here’s hoping mass production of the iPhone Duo is able to speed up soon.
What’s your take on Apple’s iPhone Duo launch? Let us know in the comments.
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