ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Shipping estimates for iPhone Duo pre-orders now show January 25th.
- This wait time marks a new record for Apple.
- The delay appears to be caused by limited supply.
Have you been looking to be the first on your block to get a new iPhone Duo by pre-ordering it? If you haven’t done so yet, you will now have to wait a lot longer than you probably expected.
Also: Best iPhone: I’ve used every model (including the Duo)
Estimates on the Apple iPhone Duo pre-order page now show a ship date of January 25th, more than three months from now. So far, these estimates apply to all configurations in terms of color, capacity and carrier. So you can’t get past the delay by ordering a flavor you think is less popular than others.
Pre-orders began today at 5am PT/8am ET. But it didn’t take long for the backlash to come in. At 5:30 a.m. PT, Apple’s online store in the United States already showed a shipping delay until January 25 for all configurations, MacRumors reported.
Waiting time marks an Apple record
A three-month wait for a new iPhone marks a record for Apple. In 2016, pre-orders for the iPhone 7 Plus showed initial delays of around two months, according to MacRumors. In 2017, iPhone X pre-orders were hit by shipping delays of five to six weeks. And in 2013, buyers who pre-ordered the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max had to wait about a month and a half to receive one.
Also: T-Mobile’s iPhone Duo deal gives you $1,000 off if you pre-order now
Why this record waiting time for the duo? I’ve asked Apple this question and will update the story with any response I receive. In the meantime, initial demand may be more difficult than Apple expects. But the primary factor appears to be limited supply, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
In his latest Power On newsletter (subscription required), Gurman pointed to “extraordinary supply chain constraints” for the duo, with the situation worse than Apple had predicted earlier in the year. Two months ago, the company thought it wouldn’t even be able to launch the new iPhone until later in November, Gurman added.
As Apple’s first foldable, the Duo is more challenging to build than your typical iPhone. Reports have surfaced that some of the more difficult components have encountered severe failure rates during the manufacturing process. That snafu limited how many duos could make it to the end of the production line.
Also: I found the iPhone 18 Pro to have the best camera feature
“Fortunately for those clamoring for the foldable phone, Apple has managed to accumulate enough inventory to make a release this month at least palatable,” Gurman said. “Still, inventory will be limited. So plan ahead.”
Apple isn’t your only pre-order option
For those who didn’t plan ahead and weren’t first in the Apple preorder line, what can you do? Well, Apple isn’t your only option. You can pre-order the phone through your carrier.
AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile are all offering pre-orders for the Duo, and their respective sites show shorter wait times than Apple reports. Estimates vary by color and configuration.
AT&T shows a ship date of November 9th or December 1st. With Verizon, you’re promised the phone anywhere between November 6th and December 4th. And T-Mobile customers are looking at shipping estimates from October 23rd through November 3rd.
Several retailers such as Best Buy are also listing pre-orders for the new phone. Here is the estimate from October 23 to November 3.
Otherwise, Apple typically reserves a limited number of iPhones for in-store purchases, even with heavy pre-orders. If you really want an iPhone Duo, you may be able to score one at your local Apple Store when the device goes on sale in the US on Friday, October 23rd.
The same applies in stores for your carrier and third-party retailers. But wherever you try to buy it, get there early enough to be at the front of the line and hope the store has the model you want.
Also: The Best iPhone Duo Cases: Expert Recommended
If not, and if you don’t want to wait until 2027 to get a duo, there’s still the iPhone 18 Pro, which was my phone of choice for this year. You can order one on Apple’s website and receive it by the end of the month, or check your local store for any inventory still in stock.
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