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

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.

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.