iPhone Duo pre-orders begin October 12: What buyers need to know

If you are planning to buy Apple’s first foldable iPhone, October 12 is a date you should not ignore. Apple has updated its official iPhone Duo shopping page with a “Get Ready” message, asking customers to return on October 12 ahead of the actual pre-order. This does not mean you can book the phone on that day.

Instead, Apple is giving you a head start to build your order before pre-orders open. On October 12, you can decide which iPhone Duo model, storage option and colour you want, add accessories, choose an AppleCare+ plan and set up a trade-in. You can also add your payment, shipping and billing details. In other words, October 12 is when you prepare and save your purchase details, so you do not have to start the entire process from scratch when pre-orders open.

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What exactly should you do on October 12?

Starting October 12, go to Apple’s iPhone Duo shopping page and use the “Get Ready” option. Select the iPhone Duo configuration you want, including the colour and storage, choose any accessories or AppleCare+ coverage, and complete the available trade-in, payment and delivery information.

Once you finish this process, your preferred configuration and other purchase details are ready ahead of the pre-order. You cannot place the order or secure the phone on October 12. It is essentially the preparation stage before Apple starts accepting orders.

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What changes on October 16?

This is when you actually need to return to Apple’s website to place your iPhone Duo pre-order. In India, pre-orders open at 5:30 PM IST on October 16. If you have already completed the “Get Ready” process, you can review your saved configuration, confirm the order and complete the purchase instead of entering all your information again.

So, the difference is simple - October 12 is for building and preparing your order. October 16 is when you submit that order and pay for the iPhone Duo. The phone then becomes available from October 23.

For Indian buyers, the iPhone Duo starts at ₹2,99,900 for 256GB, followed by ₹3,24,900 for 512GB, ₹3,74,900 for 1TB and ₹4,49,900 for 2TB. It comes in Star White and Night Sky.

The phone will ship with iOS 27.1, tailored for the foldable design, and includes Apple Intelligence and Siri AI. Apple has also introduced new iPhone Duo accessories, including an ₹8,900 case and ₹14,900 Folio with Kickstand in India.