The iPhone Duo launch today brought back long queues at Apple Stores around the world, with anywhere from dozens to hundreds of people lining up for a chance to buy the device, according to comments and photos shared on online forums and social media. Lines formed on Friday morning and in some cases a day or two earlier.
Apple’s CEO John Ternus and retail chief Deirdre O’Brien visited Apple Domain NORTHSIDE in Austin, Texas, an appearance that the company said was likely tied to the U.S. Grand Prix taking place in the city this weekend and to Apple TV being the exclusive U.S. streaming partner of F1. Marketing chief Greg Joswiak and vice president of retail stores Vanessa Trigub greeted customers at Apple Fifth Avenue in New York City.
Apple said the iPhone Duo would be available on a “limited” basis for walk-in customers in the U.S. and select other countries today, but it expected supply to sell out quickly due to “extraordinary” pre-order demand for the device. Some locations have already sold through their walk-in inventory for launch day.
Apple Store pickup was briefly an option when iPhone Duo pre-orders began last Friday, but the system has been unavailable since. In most countries, Apple’s online store directs customers to check back on Saturday, October 24 regarding Apple Store pickup; Apple has not specified when reservations will resume.
iPhone Duo launch and in-store reporting
Social media posts and tweets documented queues at multiple stores. Examples shared online include:
– A post showing a line outside Apple Fifth Avenue around 4:15 AM. (Mina Gawargious)
– A report from Union Square noting someone was about 25th in line and describing a lively crowd. (@sonyaseventhree)
– A user in Utah saying about 20 people were ahead of them when they arrived and roughly 50 joined behind. (@mattdgonzalez)
– A tweet from Boulder, Colorado, where an Apple employee reportedly told customers the store “had enough units for everyone,” and the poster said they were the first pickup of the day. (@stetsondoggett)
– A walk-in line at Apple Store Kahala in Honolulu with about 30 customers reported; one poster said they were number 13. (@jsugai)
– A local news post noting the line for Apple’s first foldable iPhone stretched outside the Apple Store at the Domain Northside. (CBS Austin)
Photos and videos circulated online showed customers waiting at multiple locations, underscoring the strong demand for the iPhone Duo and the limited availability of walk-in inventory on launch day.
