iPhone Duo pre-orders begin today, Apple Store preps for action

Apple will open up iPhone Duo pre-orders this morning, and has closed its online store in preparation for the anticipated rush. The world will be watching.

In Korea, SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus begin taking reservations for the iPhone Duo at 9:00 p.m. local time. With each carrier offering different deals, they seem to be working to use the new device to build a competitive moat, reflecting the interest the folding iPhone has already built.

This matters in the APAC region where foldables are hugely popular. Market reaction there can be seen as a solid test of Apple CEO John Ternus’ assertion to TIME that the first foldables to reach market felt “kind of cheap and crappy”.

Apple’s store is reportedly going down just before the device goes on sale as it reaches markets globally. Pre-orders at the store will open at 5am PT. (1pm UK time). UK customers are being offered an instant credit ranging from £40 to £855 when trading in an eligible iPhone 8 Plus or higher.

Tim Cook is currently in China where he told China Daily: “The (iPhone) Duo is manufactured exclusively in China. And China’s market for foldable is second to none.”

It’s too early to identify any trends in sales. We had expected the device to only be available in limited quantities on launch with multiple reports of yield problems during assembly. What is expected, however, is strong initial demand leading to ever longer delivery schedules.

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