The launch of the latest folding device from Apple did not go as smoothly as many buyers hoped. Tech reporter Mark Gurman recently shared his thoughts on the situation, calling the strategy behind the initial launch a massive blunder. Despite knowing about extreme limits on available stock, the company went ahead and opened the floodgates for the iPhone Duo across the globe anyway. This choice left countless dedicated fans empty-handed within minutes.
Why the company decided to launch despite severe stock shortages
Gurman explained in his latest newsletter that the tech giant was fully aware of manufacturing hurdles before the launch. Building a foldable screen is complicated, which led to lower production numbers than usual. Instead of waiting to build up a healthy pile of inventory, the leadership team chose to push the release out on a Friday.
Gurman believes they prioritized getting the iPhone on the market early in the first fiscal quarter over actually having enough units to meet consumer interest. The initial plan was to release the phone only in the United States and China. Somewhere along the line, leadership decided to open the doors to more than 70 countries all at once, spreading an already thin supply even thinner.
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Early shipping estimates slipped to late January within thirty minutes
This widespread rollout strategy caused immediate problems for shoppers. Within half an hour of the online store opening, delivery estimates for the new hardware dropped all the way to late January 2027 in most regions.
It is highly recommended to reconsider trying to find one in person right now. Reports indicate that retail employees are telling people to hold off on walk in purchases because stores will hardly have any units available to sell to the general public.
The company does have a habit of setting late shipping estimates and then delivering items earlier than expected. Even so, this massive delay will likely disappoint many early buyers who stayed up to secure their order. Pushing a highly anticipated device out the door without the stock to back it up might give the company an early sales boost, but it creates a bad experience for the people trying to buy it.
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