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An Apple Store in Perth, Australia, shown in an illustrative image.
Apple Says iPhone Duo Stock Will Be Limited at Stores on Launch Day
SAN FRANCISCO — October 21, 2026
Apple will have limited numbers of its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, available for customers who visit stores without a reservation on Friday, as strong initial demand has pushed some online delivery estimates to January.
The company said on Wednesday that its retail teams were preparing to welcome customers on launch day, but the number of devices available for walk-in purchases would vary by country. Online orders sold out within minutes after sales began, according to the report, leaving some buyers facing long waits.
Apple introduced the iPhone Duo in September, entering a premium foldable-phone market where Samsung Electronics and Huawei Technologies have already sold devices for several years. Analysts expect Apple's entry to attract significant interest in the relatively small segment.
However, manufacturing the foldable device may be more challenging than producing Apple's standard smartphones. The phone uses a closely fitted hinge, and analysts believe the complexity of the design could make it difficult for Apple to increase production quickly.
Apple said it was working to deliver the new device to customers as quickly as possible. The company did not provide figures for the number of phones available at stores on Friday.
In the United States, Australia, Canada and Mexico, as well as much of the United Kingdom and Europe, customers will be able to collect online orders and make limited walk-in purchases.
Availability will be more restricted in several other markets. Apple said customers in mainland China, France, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates would only be able to receive iPhone Duo devices if they had already ordered online.
Macau will follow a different arrangement, with a limited number of devices available for walk-in customers, Apple said.
The launch will test Apple's ability to meet demand for a new product category while managing the manufacturing challenges of foldable hardware. Limited store inventory and extended delivery estimates suggest that some customers may have to wait to obtain the company's first folding iPhone.
