Home
Mobiles
Mobiles News
Apple May Not Entertain Walk in Purchases for iPhone Duo on October 23 Due to Stock Shortage: Report

Apple May Not Entertain Walk-in Purchases for iPhone Duo on October 23 Due to Stock Shortage: Report

Apple has reportedly asked store employees to “discourage” customers who haven't pre-ordered.

Written by Sheldon Pinto, Edited by Ketan Pratap | Updated: 19 October 2026 12:30 IST

Apple May Not Entertain Walk-in Purchases for iPhone Duo on October 23 Due to Stock Shortage: Report

Apple’s iPhone Duo’s 256GB variant is priced at Rs. 2,99,900 in India

Click Here to Add Gadgets360 As A Trusted Source

Highlights

Apple’s iPhone Duo is the company's first foldable device
It has been positioned well above the iPhone 18 Pro Max in terms of price
Apple’s OEMs have been struggling to meet Apple’s production standards

After news of production delays and Apple's OEMs struggling to meet the brand's quality standards, customers waiting to buy the iPhone Duo may have more bad news. A report now claims that Apple employees have been asked to warn customers not to visit its stores to buy the foldable without a pre-order on October 23. Apple's iPhone Duo was set to go on sale in stores on October 23, but buyers who already had trouble pre-ordering the device on October 16 may have to wait even longer to purchase the foldable.

Apple May Not Entertain Walk-in Purchases for iPhone Duo

A report by MacRumours claims Apple Store staff have been instructed to warn customers visiting its store on October 23 that they won't be able to buy an iPhone Duo. Employees have been told that there will be no iPhone Duo stock for walk-in purchases on launch day. Apple has reportedly even informed staff to “discourage” customers without pre-orders from heading to its stores with the expectation of purchasing the device outright.

Online, customers have been told to check back on October 24 for pickup availability. Of course, this applies to those who pre-ordered the device and secured an in-store pickup reservation when the pre-order window opened on October 16. These instructions could change depending on the market and demand. In India, all pre-orders placed today will ship only on January 23, 2027. Meanwhile, retailers like Croma are promising October 29 shipping, but only for the 256GB model, which is currently in stock.

iPhone Duo First Impressions: The Real Star Isn't the Fold, It's the UI

Unlike Apple's regular iPhone models, many globally had a tough time pre-ordering the iPhone Duo when its window opened on October 16. While some received delivery or store pickup dates as early as the sale date, many got November delivery dates, with some pre-orders pushed as far back as January 2027. The warning above is mainly for customers who tried their luck with a pre-order but were disappointed with delivery delays (going into months). Such buyers probably assumed that they could bypass the long wait times and purchase their iPhone Duo directly from the Apple Store.

As previous reports suggest, Apple has been planning a big showcase on launch day at its flagship stores, with many demo units for buyers to experience (and possibly pre-order) its first foldable. Apple Stores will reportedly get a ‘spotlight table' to display the iPhone Duo, with devices showcasing their opening and closing action.

An earlier report citing industry sources and those involved in OEM production said Apple has struggled to meet production demand for its new foldable. Final assembly yields were slightly above 60 percent in mid-September because of Apple's strict quality standards, which likely explains why the iPhone Duo sold out so quickly on October 16. The hurdles mainly stem from the iPhone Duo being a first-of-its-kind device for Apple's OEMs. OEMs have reportedly asked Apple to relax its standards so production can get back on track.

iPhone Duo

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display (Primary) 7.60-inch

Cover Display 5.40-inch

Processor Apple A20 Pro

Front Camera Unspecified

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 12GB

Storage 256GB

OS iOS 27

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

Comments

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Further reading: Apple iPhone Duo, Apple, Apple iPhone Duo Launch

Sheldon Pinto

Email Sheldon Pinto

Sheldon Pinto is based in Mumbai, and has several years of experience in reviewing smartphones and gadgets. As a Senior Reviewer at Gadgets 360, you will always find him deeply immersed in his reviews, switching from one phone to another. When the battery dies out, Sheldon is always browsing the web for a good sci-fi movie or reading up on cars and bikes. He also loves creating lists of interesting places to eat and travel. Sheldon is available on Twitter at @shellshocd, and you can mail him at ...More