In a statement shared with MacRumors today, an Apple spokesperson said there will be "limited" availability of the iPhone Duo for walk-in customers at Apple Stores in select countries when the device launches this Friday, October 23.
Apple said its teams look forward to welcoming customers at Apple Stores on Friday morning to experience the iPhone Duo and the wider iPhone line-up. Stores will have limited iPhone Duo units for walk-in customers, and Apple says it is working hard to get the product into customers' hands as quickly as possible. Given "extraordinary" pre-order demand, Apple expects supply to sell out quickly on Friday.
Walk-in availability on Friday will be limited in the U.S., Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Mexico, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, and the U.K. Certain Apple Stores in Italy will also have walk-in supply, though Apple did not say which ones. In Macao, the iPhone Duo will be available to walk-in customers only on launch day, with limited inventory.
In France, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates, the device will not be available for walk-in purchase on launch day. Customers there must reserve a specific pickup time slot through Apple's online store. That store currently tells customers to check back on Saturday, October 24 for reservations, so it is unclear whether reservations will be possible on launch day. Apple restricts walk-in sales in some countries partly to manage crowd sizes and as an anti-scalping measure.
Source: MacRumors · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing