Apple will have new displays and a large number of demo units on hand in Apple Stores on iPhone Duo launch day, although supplies of the foldable device will be tight, and availability of demo units will vary from store-to-store, says Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.
Gurman says an extra “spotlight” table for the new foldable iPhone will be available in most Apple Store locations, featuring a new fixture to demonstrate how the new iPhone’s folding feature works. Apple will also be setting aside a special section of its flagship NYC Fifth Avenue store that will feature the new handset.
Availability of demo units will vary greatly on a store-to-store basis, with flagship stores, like the Fifth Avenue store and the Apple Park Visitor Center store having quite a few more demo units that lesser stores. The Fifth Avenue location will have at least 150 foldables on display, and the Apple Park location will have nearly 100 ready for try outs. Meanwhile, standard Apple Stores will get 20 or so to demo. Stores that are prominent but not flasgship locations – like the stores on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue, at The Grove in Los Angeles, and in Manhattan’s Upper West Side – will get between 30 to 40 demo units.
Apple is planning another dedicated takeover area at its Fifth Avenue flagship location, while most stores will receive a second spotlight table — the display fixture with a white top and posts in the center — specifically for showcasing the iPhone Duo. I’ve heard that Apple has developed a new fixture that will show the device opening and closing. The goal is to make the Duo impossible to miss when customers walk into stores, giving as many people as possible a chance to experience Apple’s first foldable iPhone.
A new MagSafe stand will be attached to a store table, allowing the stores to compare an unfolded iPhone Duo alongside two standard iPhones. Customers will be able to try the Duo’s new StandBy mode without it being tethered to a table, The demo units will be located along the side of the Apple Stores, in an area Apple refers to as the Avenue.
Supplies of the new iPhone Duo are expected to be limited on launch day. Gurman says that while Apple originally believed they would not have enough supply of the new iPhone until later in November. the company now believes its has sufficient, albeit limited, inventory for an October launch.
iPhone Duo pre-orders will begin at 8 a.m. Eastern Time – 5 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, October 16, and will go on sale on Friday, October 23, 2026. The 256GB Duo starts at $1,999 in the United States.