Phone news this week: iPhone Duo pre-orders, OnePlus 16 launch
Apple’s first foldable is up for pre-order, OnePlus and REDMAGIC launch new Snapdragon flagships in China, and phone shipments hit a 14-year low.
iPhone Duo pre-orders opened on Friday, making Apple’s first foldable the biggest story of a week that also brought two Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 flagships in China and grim new numbers for the phone market.
This week in 30 seconds
- iPhone Duo pre-orders opened on October 16 at $1,999, with deliveries starting October 23.
- Global phone shipments fell 20–22% in Q3 as memory prices soared, according to Counterpoint and IDC.
- OnePlus 16 launched in China with a 9,000mAh battery, and it will not be sold in the US or Europe.
- REDMAGIC 12 Pro+ arrived in China, and REDMAGIC set a November 3 US launch for the global 12 Pro.
- Two rugged phones moved closer to buyers: AGM H6 Pro pre-orders and Oukitel WP63 sales.
iPhone Duo pre-orders are open
Apple opened iPhone Duo pre-orders on October 16 at 5 a.m. PT, about five weeks after the foldable was unveiled. The base model with 256GB of storage costs $1,999 in the US, and storage goes up to 2TB. It pairs a 7.6-inch inner display with a 5.4-inch outer screen, runs on the A20 Pro chip and comes in star white and night sky.
The first wave covers more than 70 countries and regions, and Apple says 28 more will follow a week later. Shoppers who saved their configuration in the Apple Store app before pre-orders went live could check out with a single click.
Availability: Pre-orders open now; sales start October 23 in the US, Europe and more than 70 countries, with 28 more countries on October 30.
Q3 phone shipments hit a 14-year low
The memory shortage is now showing up in sales. Counterpoint Research says global smartphone shipments fell 20% year over year in the third quarter, the weakest third quarter since 2012. IDC’s preliminary count is even lower: 255.3 million phones, down 22%.
Samsung and Apple held up best, with roughly 23% and 22% of the market. Xiaomi, OPPO and vivo each shipped more than 20% fewer phones, because cheaper models are hit hardest when memory costs push prices up. Counterpoint expects more production cuts, smaller lineups and a bigger focus on premium phones in the months ahead.
OnePlus 16 launches in China with a 9,000mAh battery
The OnePlus 16 was announced in China on October 12 and went on sale the next day, starting at CNY 5,999. It runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 and packs a 9,000mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging.
The 6.78-inch LTPO OLED screen can reach 185Hz in supported games. On the back, a 200MP main camera sits next to a 50MP 3x telephoto and a 50MP ultra-wide. Western fans should not wait for it: OnePlus no longer launches new models in the US or Europe.
Availability: China now. Not sold in the US or Europe.
REDMAGIC 12 Pro+ is out in China, global 12 Pro on November 3
REDMAGIC launched the 12 Pro+ in China on October 15, with sales starting the same day. Prices run from CNY 6,999 for 12GB/256GB to CNY 8,999 for 16GB/1TB. The gaming phone uses the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 as the OnePlus 16, with a 6.85-inch 185Hz OLED screen, an internal cooling fan and an 8,400mAh battery with 120W wired and 80W wireless charging.
The international model will be called the REDMAGIC 12 Pro. REDMAGIC’s launch page lists an announcement on November 3 and says the phone launches in the United States that day. Global specs and prices are not confirmed yet, and the battery may differ from the Chinese model. Its predecessor, the REDMAGIC 11S Pro, launched globally at $849.
Availability: 12 Pro+ in China now. The global 12 Pro will be announced on November 3 with a US launch; prices not announced.
Rugged phones: AGM H6 Pro pre-orders, Oukitel WP63 on sale
AGM opened pre-orders for the AGM H6 Pro on October 13 without a shipping date. The 4G rugged phone has IP68/IP69K and MIL-STD-810H ratings, a 5,000mAh battery and Android 16. The US version is for T-Mobile only and costs $259.99, while the European version is €299.
The Oukitel WP63, first shown at MWC in March, went on sale on October 14 for $339 in Oukitel’s global store and €299 in Germany and Spain. It has a 6.67-inch HD+ screen, 8GB/256GB and a night-vision camera.
Availability: AGM H6 Pro: pre-orders in the US (T-Mobile) and Europe, shipping date not announced. Oukitel WP63: on sale globally and in Europe; no official US price.
OnePlus 16 vs REDMAGIC 12 Pro+
Both phones use the new Snapdragon flagship chip and are sold only in China for now, but they take different paths to power.
| OnePlus 16 | REDMAGIC 12 Pro+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 |
| Display | 6.78″ LTPO OLED, up to 185Hz in games | 6.85″ OLED, 185Hz |
| Rear cameras | 200MP + 50MP 3x telephoto + 50MP ultra-wide | 50MP + 50MP |
| Battery | 9,000mAh | 8,400mAh |
| Charging | 100W wired, 50W wireless | 120W wired, 80W wireless |
| Price (China) | From CNY 5,999 | From CNY 6,999 |
| Global launch | Not planned for the US or Europe | As REDMAGIC 12 Pro, November 3 (US) |
What’s coming next
- October 21: global launch of the OPPO Find X10 and Find X10 Pro Max in Mallorca.
- October 23: iPhone Duo goes on sale in the US and more than 70 countries.
- October 27: vivo X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max European event and pre-orders, with sales from November 5.
- October 30: iPhone Duo reaches 28 more countries.
- November 3: REDMAGIC 12 Pro global announcement and US launch.
- November: Motorola Signature 27 arrives in the US (exact date not announced).
See every phone that is announced but not yet on sale on our upcoming phones page.
Missed last week? Read Phone news this week: OPPO Find X10 global launch, HONOR Magic9.
