Apple confirms big issue that could leave customers struggling to buy $1,999 iPhone Duo tomorrow
Apple is finally getting in on the folding market, with the long-awaited iPhone Duo finally releasing on Friday, October 23, 2026.
Coming some seven years after Samsung released the Galaxy Fold, Apple's first folding phone is hitting shelves in a year that's seen a lot of uncertainty about the price of iPhones, other Apple devices, and tech in general.
That's just the problem because will the first folding iPhone actually be hitting shelves tomorrow?
We previously covered how Apple's high standards meant up to 40% of iPhone Duos coming off the production line were deemed unsuitable for sale, while ongoing supply chain issues and the so-called RAMageddon have led to fears that the tech giant won't be able to keep up with demand.
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Apple has somewhat acknowledged this, saying demand for the Duo "has been nothing short of extraordinary."
In a statement to the Financial Times, Apple vowed to "get this revolutionary new product into customers’ hands as quickly as possible," and although US carriers are also reporting delays, it continues to accept pre-orders online.
Can you get an iPhone Duo in an Apple store?
You might remember scenes from back in the day, with people camping out at Apple Stores in hopes of nabbing the first iPhone back in 2007. There was the now-infamous story of 18-year-old Marc Rebillet, who sold his spot in line and saw one scalper come undone.
We'd suggest you don't book the day off work and head down to your local Apple store with plans to pick up a Duo, but according to MacRumors, a small number of phones will be available for in-store pickup.
In a statement to the site, an Apple spokesperson said: "On Friday morning, our teams look forward to welcoming customers at Apple Stores to experience iPhone Duo and the incredible iPhone line-up for themselves. Apple Stores will have limited iPhone Duo available for walk-in customers."
The company then reiterated its previous statement that "we're working hard to get this revolutionary new product into customers' hands as quickly as possible."
Where to pre-order the iPhone Duo in the US:
Clarifying where in the world you might be able to get lucky with an in-store pickup, Apple said outlets in the USA, UK, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Mexico, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Türkiye will have a small supply. Select Apple stores in Italy will also have some, although it wasn't confirmed which ones.
Apple customers in Macao will only be able to get the Phone Duo on launch day, while the following won't offer a walk-in purchase on launch day: France, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.
What is the iPhone Duo pre-order limit?
All of this comes after Apple has imposed a pre-order limit of just two devices per customer. Away from seeing what an original sealed iPhone can go for at auction, it's clear some are trying to take advantage of demand for Apple's first folding phone and plan on scalping the Duo for ludicrous sums.
There are Reddit threads full of scalpers saying that they'll immediately be listing the Duo on sites like eBay with a crazy markup, but hoping to nip this in the bud, Apple has some strict checkout restrictions.
Anyone trying to put more than two Duos in their basket will be hit with an automated roadblock that reads: "A maximum of 2 iPhone Duo can be purchased per customer. Please adjust the total quantity of iPhone Duo in your order before checking out."
It could be too late, as when pre-orders went live on October 16, many boasted about how they were able to successfully order multiple devices without restrictions.
Still, there are concerns about how Apple is stopping scalpers from making multiple accounts and cycling through various credit cards as potential ways to circumvent the two-phone limit.
At the time of writing, demand for the Duo has pushed delivery back to January 22, with a note on the official Apple site telling wannabe customers to check back for in-store availability on October 24.
The iPhone Duo selling out has obviously grabbed headlines, but it's important to note that Apple has been careful not to reveal how many phones it's actually made and how many pre-orders went live.
It definitely seems like the demand is there, but only time will tell.