Yesterday we said walking into an Apple Store on launch day was one of the few ways left to get an iPhone Duo before January. Apple’s own retail staff are now reportedly telling people not to count on it.
Some Apple Store employees told MacRumors this afternoon that they’ve been advised there will likely be no iPhone Duo stock for walk-in purchases on Friday, October 23. Staff have been told to discourage customers without a preorder from coming in expecting to buy one, and to warn them they’ll be disappointed.
How firm is the warning?
Not fully clear. MacRumors says it doesn’t know how firm the guidance is, or whether it applies outside the stores whose employees spoke up. Apple hasn’t said publicly whether any store will have Duos to sell on launch morning.
It does fit everything else we’ve seen this week. Within 30 minutes of preorders opening Friday, every U.S. configuration on Apple’s online store slipped to January 25. Apple called demand “nothing short of extraordinary” in a statement to the Financial Times and said it was working to get devices to customers as quickly as possible. That’s a nice way of saying it doesn’t have enough of them.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has been sounding the same alarm. As The Apple Post summarizes it, Gurman wrote on X that Apple has given no sign of day-one store availability, and that people could wait in line only to find nothing to buy. He also thinks Apple may not have a more reasonable amount of inventory until November at the earliest. That’s his read, not something Apple has confirmed.
A store full of Duos you can’t take home
Here’s the part that will confuse people on Friday. Apple Stores are going to be packed with iPhone Duos. Gurman reported last weekend that Fifth Avenue alone is expected to have more than 150 demo units, with about 20 at a typical store.
Demo phones aren’t inventory. A table full of unfolded Duos tells you Apple wants you to try the hinge, not that there’s a stack of boxes in the back.
What to do instead
If you missed the preorder window and still want one before January:
- Don’t plan your Friday around a line. If you go anyway, treat it as a chance to try the Duo, not a way to buy one.
- Check pickup from Saturday, October 24. Apple’s online store tells customers to check back that day for in-store pickup. MacRumors notes that’s not a promise of stock, so check the Apple Store app more than once a day.
- Be flexible on color and storage. Star White and Night Sky across four storage tiers is eight separate pools of stock. Taking whatever shows up first beats holding out for one config.
- Try carriers and Best Buy. Apple isn’t the only seller, and other retailers have their own stock.
- Don’t pay scalper prices. MacRumors spotted Duo preorders reselling on eBay for as much as $5,000, an $1,800 premium over Apple’s price for that configuration. Waiting for official stock costs you nothing extra.
What to watch
- Launch morning reports. If some stores do have walk-in units on the 23rd, it’ll show up fast in photos and posts from the big flagship locations.
- October 24 pickup slots. The first real look at how much stock Apple’s stores are getting.
- Ship dates. Any move earlier than January 25 means Apple found more supply. Gurman’s November timeline is the one to test.
Reporting reference: MacRumors ↗