New Delhi, Oct. 17 -- Apple's first foldable iPhone is already facing delivery waits stretching into next year. Some online orders for the $1,999 iPhone Duo were showing late-January estimates after preorders opened on October 16, while launch-day pickup inventory sold out quickly, according to CNBC.

Apple described preorder demand as "nothing short of extraordinary" in a statement carried by CNBC. The Financial Times also reported that deliveries had slipped into 2027 within hours of orders opening. Apple said it would continue accepting orders online while working to get devices to customers.

The backlog does not mean Apple has postponed the product's launch. Its September announcement set October 23 as the first availability date, fo...