Apple knew iPhone Duo supply would be severely constrained, yet opened pre-orders in more than 70 countries at once, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says. In his Sunday Power On newsletter, he called the decision a major mistake. Bloomberg’s newsletter is paywalled, so this account relies on MacRumors’ report of it.
What Gurman says went wrong with iPhone Duo pre-orders
According to Gurman, Apple first planned to launch the iPhone Duo in the US and China, then expand to other countries. Instead, pre-orders opened in more than 70 countries simultaneously on Friday, October 16.
Less than 30 minutes later, estimated delivery in most countries had slipped to around January 25, MacRumors reported. Gurman’s explanation centres on Apple’s timing:
The company knew there would be severe supply constraints but went ahead with the launch anyway, apparently prioritizing a desire to get the device on the market early in its fiscal first quarter over satisfying demand. That will disappoint many of the early adopters most eager to buy it.
— Mark Gurman, Bloomberg Power On newsletter, as quoted by MacRumors
That is Gurman’s reading of Apple’s motives, not something Apple has said. Apple has not commented on his claims in the sources we read.
What Gurman’s column adds
- Prior knowledge: Gurman says Apple knew about the supply shortfall before pre-orders opened.
- The original plan: a US and China launch first, with other countries to follow.
- What happened instead: a simultaneous rollout in more than 70 countries.
What it means if you pre-ordered
Apple’s iPhone Duo page still says the phone is available starting October 23. The January dates come from outlets reading Apple’s online store after orders opened. Apple itself has not published them.
We covered that slide to late January delivery on Saturday, along with why supply may stay tight. Gurman’s column adds the claim that Apple saw this coming.
If you’ve already ordered, check the delivery estimate in your Apple order status rather than counting on October 23. Expect a later arrival than the launch date suggests, and plan any trade-in or phone handover around that.
Source: Mark Gurman’s Bloomberg Power On newsletter, via MacRumors
