Apple has taken its online store offline ahead of iPhone Duo pre-orders, which are scheduled to begin at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, October 16. The US store currently displays a message saying it is “Almost ready” and that pre-orders will open at the announced time.

The iPhone Duo is Apple’s first foldable iPhone. In the United States, it starts at $1,999, with customer deliveries and in-store availability scheduled to begin Friday, October 23.

When iPhone Duo pre-orders begin

Apple is continuing its recent practice of opening iPhone pre-orders at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time. The company previously used a 12:01 a.m. start time, but has opened pre-orders later in the morning for several years.

Customers in more than 70 countries and regions will be able to place orders when the store returns. The listed markets include Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

iPhone Duo colors and storage options

Apple will offer the iPhone Duo in two colors: Star White and Night Sky. Buyers can choose from four storage capacities:

  • 256GB
  • 512GB
  • 1TB
  • 2TB

The combination of storage tiers and a starting price of $1,999 gives customers several configurations to compare before ordering. Apple has not indicated in the available store message whether every configuration will have the same delivery availability when pre-orders open.

iPhone Duo release dates

The first release date is October 23, when deliveries and in-store availability begin in the United States and the initial launch markets. Availability will then expand to 28 additional countries and regions on Friday, October 30.

For customers planning to order, the key timing is the difference between the pre-order date and the retail launch date: orders begin October 16, while the phone reaches customers and stores one week later in the initial markets.

What the launch means for buyers

The iPhone Duo gives Apple a new foldable option alongside the company’s other 2026 iPhone models. Buyers will need to decide whether the foldable design and available storage options justify the $1,999 starting price.

With the store temporarily offline, Apple’s pre-order page is expected to become available again before the scheduled opening time. Customers outside the initial markets will need to wait for the October 30 expansion before checking local availability.