Key takeaways
- Apple told the Financial Times and CNBC that iPhone Duo pre-order demand is “nothing short of extraordinary.” It gave no numbers: not how many units it sold, how many it had, or when it will catch up.
- GF Securities analysts Jeff Pu and Henry Huang cut their 2026 iPhone Duo build plan from 7 million to 6 million units “due to hinge constraints.” Delivery dates now reach late January in the U.S. and early February in Brazil, and scalpers ask up to $10,000.
- My view: in my opinion, when Apple has big numbers, it loves to share them. “Extraordinary” without a number tells me nothing. And a hinge problem, after Apple came years late and called rivals “cheap and crappy”, is embarrassing.
Yesterday I asked one question: how many iPhone Duos did Apple really sell in those first 30 minutes? Now Apple answered. Or, in my opinion, it did not.
In a statement to the Financial Times and CNBC, Apple said demand has been “nothing short of extraordinary,” and added: “We are working hard to get this revolutionary new product into customers’ hands as quickly as possible, and we will continue accepting orders online.” As 9to5Mac and MacRumors reported, delivery estimates slipped from October 23 to November, then December, then January. It is no longer possible to order a Duo from Apple for delivery in 2026. In some countries, including Brazil, dates already reach early February.
In this article: “Extraordinary” for how many? 1,000? · The proud hinge is the problem · Ternus’ ego and the “cheap and crappy” hinge · Fake scarcity, or just not ready? · “Revolutionary”? No · $10,000 from scalpers · Lines at Apple Stores on October 23 · Apple stock: the only green one · Duo vs. iPhone 18 Pro · Will people return it? · My prediction: we will know in a month · FAQ
“Extraordinary” for how many? 1,000?
Here we hit the same thing again. We all know Apple well, for years. And we know that when they have big numbers, they love to show them off. But here, only one sentence: extraordinary demand.
Extraordinary for what? For 1,000 units? Please, when you make statements like this, give us some facts or numbers. Not: maybe you had only a few thousand units, they sold out quickly, and now you make a mega big announcement out of it.
And I am not the only one who thinks so. The most liked comment under the MacRumors article says: “I’m cynical enough to suspect that launch supplies were deliberately kept low to leverage the resulting scarcity into PR for how in demand the device is.”
The proud hinge is the problem
GF Securities analysts Jeff Pu and Henry Huang wrote in a new investor note: “Due to hinge constraints, we are reducing the iPhone Duo EMS build plan from 7m to 6m units in 2026.”
Please, how is this even possible? After such a big delay, after coming to the market so late behind the competition, they could not fine-tune the hinge they are so proud of? “We have a super hinge.” And then we find out they have a production problem because of the hinge.
In my opinion, that is really poor from Apple. Then you should not have built such a PR machine around it, saying you have something completely new on the market, and getting TIME to call it an invention of the year. So it is just more fame and PR. Maybe nothing else is left for you. Give me back the old Apple, where we waited for new products that were worth it, not everything we have now.
Ternus’ ego and the “cheap and crappy” hinge
I see it this way: Ternus has too big an ego. He insulted the competition, calling early foldables “cheap and crappy”. And now the hinge is a problem.
In my opinion, this is only one of the problems, and we will hear about more when people get the first units. Then it will be interesting to follow this “invention of the year 2026.” We will watch the whole series on social media.
Fake scarcity, or just not ready?
Readers have a strong argument against the scarcity theory: “Why didn’t they do that for AVP, mini, air? Conspiracy theory is dumb.” Fair point. Nobody says directly that Apple did it on purpose.
But I think it is something else. People think, and I think too, that Apple did not hurry with production. That means they were not sure if such an expensive phone would have demand. The facts show it: look how the delivery dates slip. That is not completely artificial.
And then we found out about the hinge, which analysts say is a problem. But according to the CEO’s own campaigns, they worked on it for years. The whole thing is strange.
“Revolutionary”? No
Apple calls the Duo a “revolutionary new product.” It is not a revolution. Why don’t people want to see that this is only advertising, in different speeches?
The revolution was in 2019. Even if it was not perfect, Samsung took the risk and launched it. Now it is embarrassing that TIME names a foldable phone as an invention of the year.
$10,000 from scalpers
Scalpers on eBay and X now ask as much as $10,000, and some people want Apple to cancel their orders. I don’t understand why Apple should cancel orders. It is more that people should not support such a business.
If there is demand, it means there are people who buy a phone for $10,000. In my opinion, that is really not normal. If people did not buy, there would be no demand, and that is all. Why is a person who can make money, even if it looks unfair, immediately the bad guy? On the contrary, it shows what kind of cult this phone already is. After so many years, it still happens, and people still support it. Or maybe they don’t know what to do with their money. I don’t know.
Lines at Apple Stores on October 23
MacRumors wrote that we could see long lines outside Apple Stores on October 23 for the first time in years. In my opinion, more than half of that line will be scalpers waiting to get phones and send them on. Without them, considering how expensive Apple is, I think the line would be much smaller.
But to make such a miracle out of a phone, that people wait in line, is really above my head. I take it as mega. Apple managed, after so many years, to make the iPhone something we need right now, like some vaccine. That is what every business should learn from them: create such demand on the market that people lose their judgment and wait in line for a phone. That is just my thought.
Apple stock: the only green one
Apple shares closed at $343.46, up 0.43%, the only major tech stock in the green during a sector-wide sell-off. This was expected. When Apple says there is extraordinary demand for the Duo, investors put money in. We know how the market plays with prices, and for the market, this is good news. I am just happy when I see the stock grow.
The same GF Securities note says Apple will be the only major smartphone maker to grow shipments in 2026, up 4% to 257 million, while the whole market drops 14.2% because of expensive memory.
Duo vs. iPhone 18 Pro
The analysts also say the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max got a “relatively lukewarm reception,” partly because of the Duo, and they cut the Pro build plan to 72 million because of the variable-aperture camera.
I will say it honestly: right now we don’t know how the market will behave. In my opinion, the Duo is weaker in specs. But in design, the Duo looks like something new, futuristic and beautiful. We have to admit that. The Pro has better cameras, better everything, and Face ID, even if it has some problems this year.
There is uncertainty now. The next two years will show where Apple goes: more into the Duo, or the Pro and the classic models stay number one. That interests me, and it will be interesting to watch.
Will people return it?
Some readers expect many returns after 14 days. I don’t think so. When people are able to buy from scalpers for crazy money, I think some units will be returned, but not a mega amount. Unless a big defect shows up, then people will start returning it.
Don’t forget: competitors have sold foldables for almost ten years, and now analysts say Apple has a problem with the hinge. That is a bit embarrassing. Not a bit, very embarrassing. So anything can happen.
My prediction: we will know in a month
In my opinion, we will find out in a month what this is about: an intentional buzz that demand is huge, or they are not ready to produce the Duo in large numbers. But sooner or later, the demand will fall anyway, maybe when the next model comes out.
I don’t want to talk about it like it is a medicine for some disease that we must get immediately. I would calmly wait 2 or 3 years, then walk into a store normally and buy it, when there is a next generation. That is how I would say it.
Featured photo: Fastily, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
This article is opinion.
iPhone Duo “extraordinary” demand: FAQ
What did Apple say about iPhone Duo demand?
Apple told the Financial Times and CNBC that iPhone Duo pre-order demand has been “nothing short of extraordinary” and that it is working to get the product to customers as quickly as possible. It did not share sales or unit numbers.
When will new iPhone Duo orders ship?
In the U.S., new orders from Apple show delivery estimates in late January 2027. In some countries, including Brazil, estimates reach early February. Apple Store pickup may open from October 24.
How many iPhone Duos will Apple make in 2026?
Apple has not said. GF Securities analysts cut their 2026 iPhone Duo build plan from 7 million to 6 million units, citing hinge constraints.
Why is the iPhone Duo hard to produce?
According to GF Securities analysts, production is limited by hinge constraints. Earlier reports also pointed to low production yields.
How much are scalpers asking for the iPhone Duo?
Scalpers on eBay and X have asked as much as $10,000. Apple sells the iPhone Duo from $1,999 to $3,199.
Sources: Apple, Financial Times, CNBC, 9to5Mac, MacRumors, GF Securities, MacRumors forum readers.
Our Take
“Extraordinary” is not a number.
In my opinion, if Apple really sold millions in minutes, it would say so. Until it does, I see a hinge problem dressed up as a success. I will wait for the next generation.
