Apple iPhone Duo Wait Times Grow After Preorders Open

iPhone Duo pre-orders opened today at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, and anyone who did not check out in the first few minutes is now facing a long wait. According to MacRumors, Apple’s U.S. online store was already quoting a January 25 shipping date for every iPhone Duo configuration by 5:30 a.m. Pacific, roughly half an hour after orders went live.

The slip covers both colors, Star White and Night Sky, across all four storage tiers: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB. Customers who ordered right at the start are still set to receive the phone on Friday, October 23, which is launch day. Apple confirmed that schedule in its Newsroom announcement, which set pre-orders for October 16 on apple.com and in the Apple Store app, with availability starting October 23 in the U.S. and more than 70 other countries and regions.

A January estimate means the iPhone Duo is effectively sold out for the holidays through Apple’s online store. MacRumors noted that Apple Store pickup was briefly offered during checkout before the option was pulled, and Apple is now telling customers to check back on Saturday, October 24 for pickup availability.

Apple’s shipping estimates reflect both supply and demand, and it is not clear how many units the company had on hand for day one. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has said supply would be limited, and earlier reports pointed to possible manufacturing challenges and low production yields for Apple’s first foldable iPhone. Those supply reports remain unconfirmed by Apple, so the January date could reflect tight inventory, unusually strong demand, or some mix of both.

Walk-in buyers may still have a shot on October 23, since Apple typically holds back some inventory for its retail stores. Given how quickly online estimates moved, though, store stock is likely to be very tight. The phone is also sold through resellers such as Best Buy, which could offer another route for buyers who missed the opening rush.

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 and is Apple’s first iPhone with a folding display, so early demand was always going to be a key test. Today’s rush suggests that, at least among early adopters, interest is running well ahead of what Apple appears able to ship before the end of the year.

Source: MacRumors, Apple Newsroom