ZDNET’s key takeaways:
- The iPhone Duo is unlikely to make it under many Christmas trees in 2026.
- Apple told investors that the company cannot predict when iPhone Duo supply and demand “will be in balance.”
- Demand for a competitor’s foldable has increased since the duo’s launch.
Apple isn’t sure when it will have more of its foldable iPhone duo in stock for customers to buy ahead of Black Friday and the holiday shopping season.
During Apple’s earnings call on Monday, November 2, Apple’s Chief Operating Officer, Sabih Khan, told investors that the company could not say when supply of its new iPhone duo would catch up with current demand.
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A Rocky Duo Start
The stock and stock delays were among the broader concerns on an earnings call that was fueled by questions about rising memory chip costs in the AI industry, according to reports from TechCrunch.
Also: iPhone Duo shortage clock: change waiting times, purchase limits, launch-day chances
Last month, the iPhone Duo (Apple’s most expensive smartphone to date) sold out shortly after its official launch on October 23. Apple told the Financial Times that demand for the new duo was “nothing short of extraordinary” after the terrible sales sell-off, although veteran techies such as Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claimed that Apple knew it would still face supply chain issues.
Those who didn’t jump at the start to pre-order the new device or wait in line at an Apple Store are still faced with shipping times that extend to 2027.
Signaling the company’s effort to meet demand for the iPhone Duo, Apple CEO John Ternus announced that Apple will “deepen” its partnership with Perryman, a titanium producer, to supply parts for the device.
Also: iPhone Duo Screen Crack: Serious Problem or Overblown? What we know
“We’ve been thrilled with the early response from reviewers and customers, and we’re working hard to get the iPhone Duo into customers’ hands as soon as possible,” Ternus said during his opening remarks on the earnings call.
Rising memory prices
While the iPhone Duo snafu is a rare event for Apple, which traditionally has a strong reputation for a smooth supply chain, the demand for memory chips is driving up hardware costs in the industry, and it’s something Apple can’t get around. On the call, Khan noted that Apple had to raise prices on many products, although he said those decisions were made rather “hesitantly.”
Back in June, MacBooks and iPads saw price increases of up to 25% due to rising hardware and chip costs.
As Apple works to iron out its kinks, customers may look elsewhere. Reports from Korea indicate that sales of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 jumped 20% in the week after the iPhone Duo became available, and recent reports of cracked displays are another blow to Apple.
Also: Want an iPhone Duo before 2027? Try this
So, Santa might not be able to deliver the iPhone Duo this year, but the Samsung foldable might make it onto Christmas lists all over the world.