Apple to offer limited iPhone Duo stock for walk-in buyers on October 23
Key Facts
Apple said its stores would offer limited quantities of the iPhone Duo to walk-in customers when it goes on sale on October 23, Reuters reported, citing the company. The company began taking preorders on October 16, according to its official statement setting out the preorder and availability dates. Reuters said initial online orders sold out within minutes of becoming available to customers. Delivery dates for some of those orders stretched into January, meaning customers would have to wait beyond the launch month to receive their devices. The company described the stock it would offer customers buying directly from its stores at launch as "limited quantities of iPhone Duo." Availability varies by market, with the UAE among those where launch devices are restricted to customers who purchased online in advance, according to Apple's statement cited by the agency.
Counterpoint Research expects Apple to sell about 6 million iPhone Duo devices this year, in its estimate for annual sales of the new phone. Counterpoint analyst Ivan Lam linked that forecast to the company's ability to ramp up production, saying it was "contingent on how successfully the company ramps up production of the new device." Assessing demand for the phone, the firm said it expected initial demand to exceed available supply. Counterpoint's Tarun Pathak estimated the installed base of iPhones at about 1.4 billion devices, citing the size of that base in discussing the phone's launch. Apple's U.S. store lists the 256 GB iPhone Duo in "Night Sky" at $1,999.00, with the option to connect to a carrier later. Apple Chief Executive John Ternus described the phone in its unveiling statement, saying: "iPhone Duo is the biggest shift in iPhone since the original." The company says the internal display, when unfolded, is 50% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max display, a comparison it announced as part of the phone's specifications.
On connectivity, the iPhone Duo relies exclusively on eSIM in all markets, according to Apple's official product page. On software, the company has opened submissions for apps and games optimized for the phone through its App Store management platform, according to an announcement on its developer website. Additions scheduled for later this year include support for Apple Pencil with a USB-C connector, according to the phone's page, which lists the feature as coming later. The company has set October 30 for the next geographic expansion, when the iPhone Duo will become available in 28 additional countries and regions, according to the official unveiling statement. Starting in April 2027, Apple will require app and game submissions to include iPhone Duo screenshots, according to its announcement to developers on submission requirements.