Apple iPhone Duo gets off to strong start, but supply may be the real challenge

Foldable smartphones have been around for several years and have built a niche among buyers looking for something different from conventional smartphones. However, the category is facing a challenging market. Global foldable shipments reached 18.2 million units in 2025, growing just 6 pct year-on-year, according to Omdia. The slowdown continued in the first half of 2026, when shipments fell 21.6 pct year-on-year to 5.1 million units. 

Against this backdrop, Apple has entered the foldable segment with the iPhone Duo, priced at Rs 2,99,900 for the base variant. It is the company’s most expensive iPhone yet, putting it firmly in the premium category. Despite the steep price, early demand appears strong. Apple opened pre-orders in India on October 16, ahead of the phone’s scheduled October 23 retail launch, and delivery estimates for new orders already slipped to January 2027 in less than an hour. 

But long delivery estimates alone do not confirm how strong demand is, as limited launch inventory could also be a factor. To understand what the early response says about Apple’s first foldable and the wider market for premium foldables, we spoke to industry experts and here is what they said. 

Analysts expect strong demand for the iPhone Duo

Navkendar Singh, Associate Vice President with IDC India, expects Apple to sell every iPhone Duo it manufactures, both globally and in India. He believes the phone’s high price might make it more desirable to buyers.

‘This being the most expensive phone in the market, and foldable in a new form factor, it’ll sell like hotcakes from day one. Now in India, we believe they’ll be doing something around one and a half to two lakhs till December. That means in 2026, we maintain that it will be about one and a half lakh at least,’ he said. 

‘It’s driven by the novelty of Apple entering the decade-old foldable form factor, so consumer interest has always been high for Apple products. And this is the first form-factor change since the iPhone launch by Apple. We’ve not seen that, at least in the established products they used to make,’ he added. 

Faisal Kawoosa, Chief Analyst at Techarc, also expects the phone to receive a strong response. ‘Many iPhone users have been waiting for a foldable form factor in the ecosystem,’ he said.

Limited supply may be driving delivery delays

However, within hours of the start of the Apple iPhone Duo pre-orders, delivery estimates began to show January 2027 as the expected delivery date. While Apple reportedly described it as an overwhelming response, analysts believe limited supply may be contributing to the lengthy delivery times. 

‘Considering the supply situation and the higher price point, the supply constraint relative to demand was always expected, frankly. So I told you about shipment volume, and that’s what will happen. But it will sell very well in India,’ Singh said. 

Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint Research said, ‘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.’

Delivery delays may frustrate buyers

Many customers who pre-ordered the iPhone Duo may have hoped to receive it around its October 23 retail launch. However, delivery estimates slipping to January 2027 may leave early buyers disappointed, particularly those who placed orders to get their hands on Apple’s first foldable as soon as possible. The delay may also push some customers to explore other ways of getting the device, including overseas purchases and grey-market channels.

Kawoosa believes the extended wait is unlikely to dent the iPhone Duo’s overall sales potential, even if it leaves customers unhappy. ‘While the delivery slipping to Jan is unlikely to affect the potential, but yes it will be distasteful to buyers waiting for a few more months,’ he said.

Pathak also expects limited availability to influence how Indian buyers source the device. ‘Indian buyers will also split between those buying locally and those sourcing from overseas or grey-market channels, depending on supply,’ he said.

Also read: Apple says iPhone Duo demand is extraordinary as delivery dates slip to January 2027

Is manufacturing the bottleneck?

Kawoosa pointed to Apple’s manufacturing capacity as a potential bottleneck, noting that the company has a limited number of partners producing the iPhone Duo. This could make it difficult for Apple to increase output quickly enough to meet demand.

‘I don’t see an option with Apple to jack up demand as it doesn’t yet have many partners for Duo manufacturing,’ he said. He suggested that Apple may need to expand its manufacturing network to scale production, potentially by bringing more partners in India on board.

But, iPhone Duo is actually good for foldable segment globally

Apple’s entry to the foldable segment can actually help the foldable segment grow. According to Counterpoint Research, the global foldable shipments will grow 21 pct year-on-year in 2026, with Apple projected to capture a 25 pct share despite entering the market for the first time.

Samsung is still forecasted to lead with 32 pct, while Huawei is expected to hold 24 pct. And these numbers can actually push rival manufacturers to rethink their foldable strategies, from hardware design and software integration to multitasking and AI-powered features.

Of course, the longer term impact will depend on availability, discounts and whether Apple is able to turn early interest into sustained demand.