Apple Says It Can't Predict When iPhone Duo Supply Will Improve

Apple cannot say when it will have enough iPhone Duo foldable phones to meet customer demand, the company's chief operating officer told investors Monday on Apple's fiscal fourth-quarter earnings call.

What did Apple say about iPhone Duo supply constraints?

Apple Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan told analysts that "iPhone Duo is constrained as of today," according to TechCrunch, which reported on the earnings call. Khan said production is ramping but gave no timeline for closing the gap between supply and orders.

"The ramp is going well, and we're working hard to get this revolutionary new product into the hands of our customers as quickly as possible. But at this time, it's really hard to predict when supply and demand will be in balance," Khan said, per TechCrunch's report of the call.

Apple CEO John Ternus struck a similar tone in his opening remarks, saying the company has been "thrilled with the early response from reviewers and customers" and is "working hard to get iPhone Duo into customers' hands as quickly as we can," TechCrunch reported.

Why is the iPhone Duo in short supply?

Apple described demand for the foldable device as "nothing short of extraordinary" in an October report from the Financial Times, cited by TechCrunch, after the Duo sold out on Apple's website within hours of its on-sale date. That surge pushed delivery estimates into next year for shoppers who did not preorder or line up at an Apple Store at launch, according to the TechCrunch report.

The delays stand out because Apple has built its reputation in part on a tightly run supply chain capable of absorbing launch-day demand spikes for products like the standard iPhone. The company is not alone in facing component pressure, however. TechCrunch reported that memory chip costs have climbed industrywide as AI companies compete for the same chips, squeezing hardware makers broadly and threatening to push device prices higher across the sector.

How long are shipping delays lasting?

Customers who missed launch-day preorders or store lines are now seeing ship times extend into 2027, TechCrunch reported. Apple has not published a revised delivery window publicly, and Khan's comments on the earnings call did not include a specific date by which constraints are expected to ease.

What is Verizon doing about delayed orders?

Verizon has been apologizing to customers for the wait by offering gift cards, according to TechCrunch's reporting. The carrier's response points to the delays extending beyond Apple's own retail channel and into orders placed through wireless providers, a signal that the shortage is affecting the broader distribution chain rather than a single sales channel.

How does the Perryman partnership factor into production?

Apple said on the call that it is "deepening" its relationship with Perryman, a titanium producer that supplies materials used in the foldable device, TechCrunch reported. The company framed the expanded partnership as part of its effort to meet demand, though it did not attach a production figure or completion date to the arrangement.

Could rising memory chip costs affect iPhone Duo pricing?

Khan acknowledged on the call that Apple has raised prices on a number of products and said those decisions were made "reluctantly," according to TechCrunch. The remark came amid broader questions from analysts about memory chip costs tied to AI-industry demand, which TechCrunch reported is pressuring hardware makers across the industry. Apple did not specify on the call whether iPhone Duo pricing itself would change as a result of component costs, and the earnings call discussion TechCrunch described focused on pricing actions already taken rather than future adjustments tied specifically to the Duo.

For now, Apple's public position is unchanged from what Khan told investors: production is increasing, interest remains high, and the company is not ready to put a date on when the two will meet. Readers tracking order status can follow Apple's own shipping estimates at checkout, since neither Apple nor Verizon has issued a revised public timeline beyond the into-2027 window TechCrunch reported.

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