Apple Executives Fan Out as Foldable iPhone Duo Walk-In Stock Runs Short

Apple CEO John Ternus appeared at the Domain NORTHSIDE store in Austin, Texas, on Friday, October 23, as the iPhone Duo, the company's first foldable phone, went on sale at Apple Store locations worldwide. Ternus was joined by retail chief Deirdre O'Brien. Queues formed outside stores overnight as shoppers lined up hoping to buy a Duo without a pre-order.

Apple had warned before the launch that retail stores would carry "limited" inventory. Store employees told shoppers who could not buy a walk-in unit to check the Apple Store app on Saturday at 10 a.m. ET for details on what stock is available in stores. Apple published photos Friday morning of launch activity at stores in multiple cities.

Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, appeared with retail executive Vanessa Trigub at the Fifth Avenue store in New York. Apple reported that customers filled its stores and that employees offered hands-on demonstrations of the foldable device and shopping assistance. Apple declined to comment on how many units were allocated to each location.

Mark Gurman has reported that Ternus toured Apple's Austin offices earlier in the week. Austin is also hosting the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix this weekend, and Apple is the exclusive F1 streamer in the US.

Store employees at some locations told disappointed shoppers that additional stock details would be posted in the Apple Store app on Saturday at 10 a.m. ET. Apple's press release Friday morning included photographs from launch events in several cities.