Apple's £2,000 folding iPhone Duo sells out pre-orders in 30 minutes — with new orders now delayed until January

Apple's first-ever folding phone, the iPhone Duo, sold out its pre-order stock just half an hour after orders opened at 1pm UK time on Friday, with customers who missed the rush now told their device will not arrive until 22 January — three months after the phone officially goes on sale on 23 October. Apple had warned ahead of launch that supply would be limited, but the speed of the sell-out has still stunned the tech world. The Duo starts at $1,999 — priced at the same figure in pounds — making it by far the most expensive iPhone ever offered.

Apple shares rose on the news, with the sell-out seen as a strong signal of demand for the most radical iPhone redesign in nearly 20 years.

Some customers face waits stretching into 2027, with delivery estimates expected to slip further as the order backlog grows.

Production constraints had long been flagged by industry insiders, who warned Apple would struggle to meet demand for its landmark foldable device.