Apple reportedly launched iPhone Duo weeks earlier than it originally intended, with the company initially planning to wait until November before putting its first foldable iPhone on sale.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple had originally aimed to hold iPhone Duo until November and launch it only in the United States and China. Instead, the device went on sale on October 23 across more than 70 countries.
Gurman says Apple ultimately “rushed” iPhone Duo to market without enough inventory to satisfy demand. That assessment fits with what happened immediately after preorders opened, when delivery estimates moved deep into 2027 and local store availability became extremely difficult to find.
The Apple Post previously reported that Apple had been concerned iPhone Duo could slip into late November because of production challenges. The new Bloomberg detail suggests November was not simply a worst-case delay scenario at one stage, but part of Apple’s original launch planning.
Apple’s decision to go earlier also helps explain the unusual way inventory was distributed. Around 80 percent of initial iPhone Duo stock was reportedly sent to physical Apple Stores, while online orders quickly moved months into the future.
Availability remains tight. Live Apple Store stock tracking can help buyers spot short-lived iPhone Duo restocks, while some owners affected by the foldable’s display issue are also finding replacement devices difficult to source.
iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 in the United States and £1,999 in the United Kingdom.