Apple: iPhone Duo supply crunch hard to predict
Original: Apple says it’s ‘hard to predict’ when iPhone Duo constraints will improve
Why This Matters
Foldable iPhone demand tests Apple's supply chain at a critical product launch.
Apple COO Sabih Khan said on the Q4 earnings call that iPhone Duo remains supply-constrained with no timeline for relief, as AI-driven memory chip demand pushes component costs higher across the hardware industry.
Apple's first foldable iPhone, the Duo, sold out within hours of launch, pushing delivery dates into 2027. On the company's fiscal Q4 earnings call, COO Sabih Khan said the ramp is going well but offered no resolution timeline: "It's really hard to predict when supply and demand will be in balance." Customers who missed preorders or in-store launch queues are now staring at ship dates stretching into next year. Verizon has been issuing gift cards to affected customers as an apology for the delays. Apple CEO John Ternus called early reviewer and customer response strong, while the company said it is "deepening" its titanium supply partnership with Perryman to support Duo production. Beyond the foldable's own constraints, AI-driven demand for memory chips is squeezing hardware makers broadly. Khan acknowledged Apple has raised prices on several products, adding those decisions were made "reluctantly." Apple described Duo demand to the Financial Times in October as "nothing short of extraordinary" — a striking admission for a company long celebrated for supply-chain precision.