Apple cannot predict when iPhone Duo supply will meet demand

MUMBAI: Apple’s newest foldable has opened up with a bang, but the company is still struggling to get enough units out of the door. CEO John Ternus has admitted that it cannot yet predict when supply of the iPhone Duo will catch up with demand, even as production ramps up and the crucial holiday shopping quarter gets underway.

In an interview with Reuters, Ternus said the device remained supply-constrained, with Apple working to make it available to more customers. The uncertainty comes at a particularly important time for the company, as the December quarter typically benefits from festive shopping and year-end purchases.

“Duo is constrained as of today. The ramp is going well, and we’re working hard to get it to as many customers as quickly as possible, but at this point, we’re not able to predict when supply and demand will be in balance,” Ternus told Reuters.

The supply squeeze follows strong demand during the phone’s pre-order period, which opened on 16 October. Apple’s online store continues to show shipping estimates stretching into late January, suggesting that customers placing orders now may have to wait several weeks before receiving the device.

For Apple, the immediate challenge is not simply generating interest in its new foldable, but converting that interest into sales while production catches up. The company is working to increase output, but Ternus has stopped short of offering a timeline for when availability will return to normal.

Supply is not the only issue drawing attention to the iPhone Duo. Ternus also acknowledged that a small number of devices had been returned because of display-related problems, following reports of cracking on the phone’s inner screen.

He told Reuters that a “very small percentage” of units had been returned with display issues. Apple is replacing the affected devices with new models.

The acknowledgement is significant because the foldable display is central to the Duo’s design and positioning. However, Ternus did not provide details about what caused the reported problems or explain whether Apple was making any changes to the manufacturing process to address them.

The company has therefore confirmed that some returns have taken place, but has not disclosed the number of affected units or the nature and extent of the display faults. Nor has it outlined a specific corrective measure beyond replacing the affected devices.

The comments come against the backdrop of a strong September-quarter performance. Apple reported record revenue of $114.5 billion for the quarter, a 12 per cent increase year on year and above analysts’ estimates of $113.4 billion.

Earnings per share rose 14 per cent to $2.10, with the company beating Wall Street expectations on its overall results.

However, the iPhone Duo did not contribute to those numbers. Apple’s September quarter marked the fourth quarter of its fiscal 2026 and ended before the foldable went on sale in October. Its commercial performance will therefore feature in the December-quarter results instead.

That makes the current supply situation particularly relevant. The holiday quarter is a key sales period for Apple, and extended delivery estimates could limit how quickly the company converts demand for its newest device into recognised sales.

Apple is now attempting to balance rising demand with the manufacturing complexities of scaling up a new foldable device. While Ternus described the production ramp as progressing well, his inability to forecast when supply and demand will balance leaves the timeline uncertain.

Investors will be watching whether the company can improve availability during the December quarter, particularly as shipping estimates remain pushed out to late January. The reported display-related returns will also keep attention on product reliability as more devices reach customers.

For now, the iPhone Duo has two hurdles to clear: getting into more customers’ hands and ensuring that the foldable experience holds up once it gets there. Apple’s production ramp may be moving forward, but the company has yet to put a date on when the supply gap will close.