I’ve been pre-ordering iPhones since my first one in 2009 (a 3GS) and have had them delivered to my home on launch day every single time1. I’m used to the routine: get up ahead of the launch time (usually 5 AM PT), load the Apple website or Apple Store app, see the “we’re almost ready” message, and refresh until things open up, which usually happens within a few minutes of the launch window. In recent years Apple introduced the ability to “prepare” for pre-order days ahead, completing the entire process (including financing) except actually submitting the order. This has minimized day-of activity to simply opening the Apple Store app as soon as it allows you in, verifying your selection, and submitting. If you’ve done all these steps and are on time, you are guaranteed to get an iPhone on launch day, even when supplies are constrained. Or so I thought.
The iPhone Duo went up for pre-order on Friday October 16. I was up before 5 AM CT and my pre-order was “prepared”. The Apple Store app let me in within a minute of opening up, which is faster than I’ve seen in the past. I validated my selection, saw “Delivers 10/23”, and hit submit. BOOM! iPhone Duo ordered! About 30 minutes later I saw posts about shipping estimates already being into January and I felt good. “So long suckers!”, I thought, “I’ll be one of the few people to get their Duo on launch day and one of the few to get one this year! You should have been more prepared like I was!”
I happily proceeded through the last week thinking about my Duo and looking forward to receiving it on the 23rd. I bought a case for it and a screen protector. I read reviews and watched videos. By Thursday I hadn’t seen a shipping notice, but I wasn’t concerned because Apple often notifies the day before. I popped open the Apple Store app just to check and my jaw hit the floor.
Delivers Nov 3 – Nov 10
– The Apple Store App
“WHAT?!”, I thought, “Apple changed the delivery date? And they DIDN’T TELL ME?! I’ve got an email from October 16 at 5:02 AM PT that says…. let me see here… ‘Delivers ‘… … … ‘Nov 3 – Nov 10’… Damn… it’s always been that way. And I didn’t even notice.”
Needless to say, I was bummed. Somehow, even though I completed my pre-order within the first two minutes, I didn’t notice that it had already slipped to November. I’ve read posts of people changing their location trying to pick up at a local Apple Store or bouncing around between different carriers and stores when they didn’t like the delivery estimate. I didn’t do any of that. I ordered within the first two minutes and I still didn’t get it on launch day.
I didn’t even order a fancy config – just the white 256 GB – and that’s probably what did me in. The Duo is the most expensive iPhone ever and I’d bet most people are going to get the cheapest model available, which is the 256 GB. It’s the one that Apple manufactured in the largest quantity but also the one that most people are going to buy. Apparently it sold out in two minutes.
Woe is me #firstWorldProblems.
The Bright Side
So I won’t get my Duo for a couple extra weeks. At least I’ll get it before next year and before Christmas and even before Thanksgiving. It’s not so bad and there are actually a few advantages.
- Bugs – The Duo runs an exclusive release of iOS 27.1, and most reviews note that it is a bit buggy (see here, here). There was a day 1 update for it but it may not resolve all of the bugs. We may see some additional builds or patch versions released in the next couple weeks.
- Apps – The Duo has a different screen shape than an iPhone and the inner screen isn’t quite an iPad, which means software that isn’t optimized for it looks weird with controls in non-optimal places and lots of unused space at the margins. It will take a while for apps to adapt to it, but there’s a chance that more of the major ones will be updated by the time I get mine.
- Hardware Issues – There’s always a risk when you purchase a product with a brand new design. I took that risk with the iPhone X and never had an issue. While many people are happily using the Duos they received on Friday, a higher-than-I’d-expect number are reporting broken screens within a day of use, with failures occurring in the same way. Is it a design flaw? Is it a manufacturing defect affecting a limited number of devices? If it’s the second, I may get something that has been scrutinized a bit more will turn out to be more reliable.
- Cases – There aren’t a lot of cases on the market for the Duo yet, and my favorite case, the Süti Phone Back, hasn’t announced a Duo version. Maybe they need some extra time with real hardware to get the magnetization right. Maybe it will be announced by the time I get my Duo.
By the time I get mine, maybe some of the bugs in iOS 27.1 will be worked out. There will be at least a few more apps that are optimized for it. I’ll hopefully avoid any hardware issues. I’ll have a chance to read and watch more impressions and reviews. Maybe my favorite case will be available for it.
As much as I was disappointed it’s only two weeks 🙂
- With the exception of the 5S which was not available for pre-order ↩︎