Apple's foldable iPhone Duo draws Sydney queue and sells out in minutes in India
Apple's first folding phone went on sale on Friday, with stock tight in Australia and India and early reviewers split on who should buy it.
Customers queued outside an Apple store in Sydney before it opened at 8am on Friday. It was the first store anywhere to sell the iPhone Duo, the company's first foldable phone, The Hindu reported. Simon Krishnan, a 48-year-old engineer, paid A$3,899 for a model with 512GB of memory. "This is a bit of a luxury item for me, because it's so expensive, but I just think, you know what? Life's too short," he said.
In India, Mint reported that the phone sold out within five minutes on the quick-commerce platform Blinkit in Delhi-NCR. Blinkit founder Albinder Dhindsa said on X that the device went on sale at 8:15am and every unit was gone five minutes later. He did not say how many units had been available. Some social media users asked about the quantity, while others called the sellout a sign of India's growing purchasing power, according to Mint.
Indian prices start at ₹299,900 for the 256GB version. The 512GB model costs ₹324,900 and the 1TB model ₹374,900, while the top 2TB configuration is ₹449,900. Mint said the phone has a 7.6-inch folding inner screen, a 5.4-inch outer screen, Apple's A20 Pro chip, a 48MP Dual Fusion camera system and a titanium frame.
Supply is tight. Apple told Reuters that walk-in stock would be limited in Australia, the US, Canada, Mexico and much of Britain and Europe, The Hindu reported. In China, France, Hong Kong, India and Japan, phones would go only to customers who had ordered online. Within minutes of pre-orders opening a week earlier, estimated delivery dates had slipped to late January. Apple described the customer response as "nothing short of extraordinary."
The Hindu said the launch is an early test for chief executive John Ternus. The former hardware chief unveiled the phone barely a week after taking over in September.
Reviewers praised the design and the barely visible hinge. They also pointed to the lack of a telephoto lens, third-party apps not yet reworked for the new screen size, and a folded form that is less handy for quick daily tasks. Several prominent reviewers advised many Apple customers against buying it. Marques Brownlee said in a YouTube review that for a regular user "it is probably a no", but called it "a really fun phone" for buyers who can afford it.
Market researcher IDC expects Apple to take 44 per cent of foldable value in 2026 on 31 per cent of units, and forecasts it will lead the category on both measures by 2027. "Apple has made a convincing case for this form factor," IDC vice president Francisco Jeronimo said.
Mint noted that Apple's Upgrade leasing programme, run with Klarna, is offered in the US and is not a financing option available in India. Dhindsa said Blinkit expects more stock in the coming weeks.
Sources: Mint, Gone in 300 seconds! ₹3 lakh iPhone Duo foldable phone sells out on Blinkit; Is Apple's monthly lease worth it?; The Hindu, Apple bets iPhone Duo can remake foldable market as sales begin.
