“You can’t buy it even if you go to a store on launch day”... iPhone Duo buyers may have to wait until next January [Daily IT Item]

[Financial News] Apple Inc. is limiting in-store sales of its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, at Apple Stores. Even customers who visit a store on launch day will not be able to buy the product immediately and will have to wait about three months to receive it.
On the 20th, Apple Korea’s official website said the iPhone Duo and the iPhone 18 Pro Max were not currently available for in-store purchase at Apple Stores. Customers can order online and receive free delivery or pick up their orders at an Apple Store, but buying a product after checking its availability in person at a store is restricted.
The delivery date listed by South Korea’s Apple online store is in late January next year, about three months after the official launch. As of the previous day, the South Korean order page showed a dispatch date of January 22 next year, while some customers were given an estimated delivery date of January 23, depending on their location.
South Korea and Japan are among the countries where Apple has explicitly stated on its website that in-store purchases are restricted. Foreign media outlets, including MacRumors, reported that notices had been posted on Apple’s official websites in both countries saying the product would be sold to customers who had reserved a pickup.
Even in the United States, it is expected to be difficult to get the product just by visiting a store on launch day. The delivery date listed by the U.S. online store was also reportedly pushed back to January 25 next year about 30 minutes after preorders began. However, unlike in South Korea, no notice restricting in-store purchases has been posted on the U.S. official website.
South Korea’s three major mobile carriers are also prioritizing preorder customers for the initial stock. Some carriers are accepting preorders in waves and plan to supply products in order of application once they secure additional stock. With initial supplies limited, the actual delivery date may vary depending on when customers place their orders and when additional stock arrives.
The in-store sales restriction at Apple Stores does not apply to all carrier outlets or partner stores. Apple says the iPhone Duo will also be sold at stores run by certain mobile carriers and partners. However, stock and sales schedules may vary by store, so it is difficult to say for certain that customers will be able to buy one immediately on launch day.
 

[email protected] Yoon Hong-jip Reporter