NewsApple Store walk-in purchases for iPhone Duo likely unavailable on launch day
Apple retail staff received warnings about extremely low iPhone Duo stock. Walk-in buyers without pre-orders will likely find zero devices available. Online orders are currently sold out through the month of January. Check carriers or Best Buy instead if you need one quickly.
Apple Store employees are being told to warn customers that the new iPhone Duo will likely not be available for purchase on launch day if you did not already place a pre-order, according to MacRumors. Right now, Apple's website suggests checking back for iPhone Duo availability on October 24th, but store staff have been instructed to discourage walk-in customers from coming in expecting to buy the device. This is not a total surprise, given that Apple stated that iPhone Duo demand is extraordinary alongside known production constraints leading to limited supply. However, this serves as our first true sign that lining up at an Apple Store the night prior might result in getting nothing, as some locations may receive zero shipments beyond pre-orders. As of now, the phone is sold out through January, making it challenging to buy a device for the foreseeable future while scalpers charge absurd markups close to launch day. If you truly want an iPhone Duo sooner than later, carriers and Best Buy seem to be a decent bet in the US. For your business or daily routine, trying to source hot tech items at launch without locked-in orders is becoming an exercise in frustration. Plan your gear upgrades well in advance before production bottlenecks catch you empty-handed.