New Delhi, Oct. 17 -- Apple Inc.'s first foldable smartphone has reportedly drawn an extraordinary rush of pre-orders, with delivery estimates slipping to the end of January within minutes of orders opening on Friday, raising the stakes for the company's debut in the foldable phone market.

Apple said demand for the iPhone Duo had been "nothing short of extraordinary" as customers encountered increasingly long waits for the device, which is scheduled to go on sale on October 23.

"The pre-order demand for iPhone Duo, our first foldable iPhone, has been nothing short of extraordinary. We are working hard to get this revolutionary new product into customers' hands as quickly as possible, and we will continue accepting orders online," the co...