iPhone Duo pre-orders open Friday, October 16, 2026 at 5 a.m. PT, and the phone goes on sale Friday, October 23 in more than 70 countries and regions, with 28 more following on Friday, October 30, according to Apple’s press release. That is five weeks after the iPhone 18 Pro reaches stores on September 18.
Apple announced both phones at the same September 9 keynote, so the gap is deliberate rather than a delay. Before the event, our pre-order expectations guide could only point to October in general terms; Apple has now put exact dates and a country list on it.
iPhone Duo release date timeline
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, September 9 | iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro announced at the Surprise and shine event |
| Saturday, September 12 | iPhone 18 Pro pre-orders open |
| Monday, September 14 | iOS 27 arrives as a free update |
| Friday, September 18 | iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max in stores |
| Friday, October 16, 5 a.m. PT | iPhone Duo pre-orders open |
| Friday, October 23 | iPhone Duo available in more than 70 countries and regions |
| Friday, October 30 | iPhone Duo available in 28 more countries and regions |
| Later in 2026 | Apple Pencil (USB-C) support for iPhone Duo |
The 5 a.m. PT pre-order time is 8 a.m. ET, 1 p.m. in the UK and 5:30 p.m. in India. Note that the Duo opens pre-orders on a Friday rather than the Saturday Apple used for the iPhone 18 Pro.
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Why the iPhone Duo is not a September phone
Apple has not explained the October date, so what follows is our reading of the announcement rather than anything Apple has said. The Duo is the first iPhone with a folding display, a titanium hinge cover, a custom display engine in the A20 Pro that drives two screens at once, and an under-display FaceTime camera, and none of those parts exist in any other iPhone.
The software points the same way. iOS 27 ships on September 14 for existing iPhones, but the Duo ships with iOS 27.1, the version that carries Split View, an upgraded StandBy and layouts that adapt to open, closed and posed positions. Apple Pencil support is listed for later in 2026 rather than launch day, which suggests the Duo’s software is still being finished in stages.
The result is that the iPhone 18 Pro gets September to itself, and the Duo arrives as a separate launch. Apple has not said whether Duo supply will be limited at launch.
Where and how to buy the iPhone Duo
- Sales channels: apple.com, Apple Store locations, select carriers and partner stores
- October 23 countries include Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Türkiye, UAE, UK, US and Vietnam
- Storage: 256GB from $1,999 or $83.29 per month; 512GB, 1TB and 2TB prices not yet published
- Colors: Night Sky and Star White
- eSIM only worldwide: dual eSIM with two active lines and no physical SIM tray, so plan to transfer your line digitally
- In the box: iPhone Duo with iOS 27.1 and a 1 m USB-C cable, no power adapter
Apple has not published the 28 countries in the October 30 wave, prices outside the US, or any carrier pricing. We will update our event live blog and coverage as Apple posts those details.
