Apple iPhone Duo Launch Brings Long Lines and Instant Sellouts Worldwide
Apple launched its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, with pre-ordered devices selling out instantly across global markets including the Czech Republic, China, and the United States. Customers queued outside Apple stores from early morning, with buyers in Shanghai arriving past 6 a.m. to collect pre-ordered units. The device starts at 54,990 CZK in the Czech market, where available stock was entirely depleted before the official release date.
Apple boosts manufacturing as global demand outstrips supply
Consumer demand outstripped available supply immediately following the pre-order window that opened on October 16. Retail locations in China, France, Hong Kong, India, and Japan restricted launch-day inventory strictly to online pre-orders. Meanwhile, the United States, Australia, Canada, Mexico, and parts of Britain and Europe received limited quantities for walk-in buyers. In response to the high volume of traffic, Apple boosted its manufacturing capacity for the foldable device by nearly 50 percent, SMARTmania.cz reported.
iPhone Duo features OLED display and titanium frame
The iPhone Duo features a 7.6-inch flexible OLED display with a resolution of 2,670 by 1,878 pixels, powered by the Apple A20 Pro processor and built with a thin titanium frame. Unboxing reports note that the device arrives in its box in an unfolded state with a cable, omitting a physical SIM tray because the handset relies exclusively on eSIM. The inner screen uses a matte surface finish designed to reduce glare and fingerprints, paired with an under-display camera sensor. The folding mechanism holds its position across multiple angles to function in a laptop mode.
Robotic tests show iPhone Duo hinge stiffens after folding
Technology journalist Joanna Stern tested the physical endurance of the iPhone Duo hinge using a specialized robotic testing machine. The device underwent over 32,000 folds across four nights. While initial manual handling suggested a loosening effect, calibrated force measurements taken before and after the experiment showed that the opening mechanism actually stiffened slightly under the stress. The independent test did not evaluate whether the display crease deepened after tens of thousands of folds, leaving long-term crease visibility unmeasured.
Biometric Compromise and Future Iterations
Early reviewers noted the absence of Face ID on the iPhone Duo, a feature replaced by a capacitive Touch ID fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button, SMARTmania.cz reported. Industry analyst Mark Gurman reports that Apple is already testing prototypes of an iPhone Duo 2 featuring under-display infrared sensors for Face ID. That second-generation hardware could arrive in autumn of next year, addressing primary user complaints regarding the shift from facial recognition to side-mounted fingerprint scanning.
Why Apple omitted Face ID and other Duo details
Why did Apple omit Face ID from the iPhone Duo?
Apple could not fit the necessary facial recognition hardware into the first-generation foldable body due to spatial constraints, relying instead on a side-mounted Touch ID sensor, SMARTmania.cz reported.
What physical accessories come inside the iPhone Duo box?
The retail box includes only the foldable handset and a cable, while excluding a physical SIM ejection tool because the device operates exclusively on eSIM.
How many folds did the independent hinge endurance test perform?
Journalist Joanna Stern subjected the folding mechanism to over 32,000 folds across four nights using a specialized robotic testing arm.