iPhone Duo: Observations on the Pre-order Launch

What happened

When pre-orders opened on Friday, the delivery date moved back very fast. It first moved to November, then December, and then January. For a while, the Apple.com order page did not load, and only the Apple Store app worked for ordering. Now, new buyers see January 22 as the delivery date. Those who pre-ordered successfully get their phone on October 23, the official sales day.

Key numbers and facts

• The delivery date fell from a latest date of January 25 to January 22, which is three days earlier.
• The wait date changed to later months within about three minutes of launch.
• On eBay, some sellers asked for 5000 US dollars or more for pre-orders.
• The iPhone Duo costs at least 2300 euros.
• Apple has not said how many phones it sold or how many it had in stock.

A new kind of iPhone

The iPhone Duo is Apple's first foldable phone. It opens up like a book. Apple already sells a case and a folio cover with a stand, so buyers can get a sense of its size before it ships. When folded, it is shorter than an iPhone 13 mini, but a bit wider than a Pro Max. When opened, it is about as tall as a Pro Max, but wider.

Why it matters

The launch shows how much demand there is for a foldable iPhone, and how hard it is for Apple to meet that demand. Because Apple does not share sales or stock numbers, outsiders cannot yet tell how big the shortage is. It is also unclear whether Apple will have phones for people who did not pre-order. The new size may also cause problems for apps that are not yet adjusted to the bigger, folding screen.

What to watch

• Whether Apple sells phones to people without a pre-order, and in what amount.
• Long lines outside Apple stores, which may start days before Friday.
• Whether the delivery date keeps moving earlier or later.
• How well existing apps work on the new folding screen.
• Whether resale prices on sites like eBay come down.