Apple Says It Cannot Predict When iPhone Duo Availability Will Improve

Apple’s first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, has been the talk of the town ever since it launched last month. Not only was it one of the most-awaited launches of the year, but the phone also sold out pretty fast. And all of this, despite its gigantic price tag. Now, according to Apple CEO John Ternus, there is no way to tell when you can get your hands on the Duo. Read on.

Apple CEO On iPhone Duo Shortage

If you’re planning to buy the iPhone Duo today, chances are you’ll find it out of stock. Some pre-orders are now expected to arrive in 2027, while Apple had only a limited number of units available at its retail stores during launch.

Apple CEO John Ternus says the company “cannot predict” when the iPhone Duo shortage will end.

Speaking to Reuters, Ternus said Apple is working to get the foldable to as many customers as possible. However, he added that the company is “not able to predict when supply and demand will be in balance”.

iPhone Duo Faces Stock Issues And Screen Cracking Reports

It is no secret that the iPhone Duo has had a rather difficult start. Apart from limited availability, some users have reported cracks on the inner display, particularly around the hinge. Ternus told Reuters that a “very small percentage” of devices had been returned over display issues, adding that Apple is replacing the affected units.

Apple says the manufacturing ramp-up is going well, but it is still unable to meet demand. Ternus did not offer a timeline for when the situation could improve.

The company is also facing wider supply chain challenges, with rising memory chip prices adding pressure to its costs. The surge in memory prices has been linked to growing demand from AI data centres, and it could affect how much Apple earns from storage upgrades.

Rising Memory Costs Could Put More Pressure On Apple

Apple has already raised prices on some of its products to offset higher component costs. The company increased prices for the iPhone 17 series by $100 when it launched the iPhone 18 Pro, and also raised prices on some MacBook models.

During Apple’s Q4 2026 earnings call, Ternus described the current memory pricing situation as “unprecedented”. He said Apple expects memory costs to rise further in the December quarter, although recent price increases and lower costs for some non-memory components are helping offset the impact.

Apple reported quarterly revenue of $114.48 billion, beating analyst estimates. iPhone revenue reached $57.58 billion, also above expectations. However, the company expects gross margin to fall to between 45% and 46% in the December quarter, down from 47.9% in the latest quarter.

For now, Apple has not provided a clear timeline for when iPhone Duo availability will improve. The foldable appears to have attracted strong demand, but the company will need to increase production while addressing the display complaints.