Apple has reportedly raised its supply chain orders for the iPhone Duo by 30%, days before buyers can place paid preorders for its first foldable phone on Friday.
Key Points:
- Apple reportedly lifted iPhone Duo orders by 30%, though total 2026 supply still stays below 10 million units.
- Orders for the iPhone 18 Pro Max reportedly rose 10% to 15%, while iPhone 18 Pro orders fell by a similar margin.
- Supply is still expected to be tight when the $1,999 foldable reaches customers Oct. 23.
iPhone Duo Orders
Supply chain sources told a Chinese financial daily on Oct. 10 that Apple had raised iPhone Duo orders by 30% as it reshuffled production plans for its fall lineup. Even after the increase, total Duo orders for 2026 remain below 10 million units, the report said. With earlier estimates pointing to output of 6 million to 7 million units, Apple watchers calculated that the new target likely sits close to 10 million.
The same sources said Apple lifted iPhone 18 Pro Max orders by 10% to 15% and cut iPhone 18 Pro orders by a similar margin, leaving overall Pro volumes unchanged.
That account clashes with an Oct. 9 report that Apple had slashed October component orders for both Pro models by at least 15% because of soft demand.
Preorders are days away. Apple's Get Ready process, which opened Monday, lets shoppers save their color, storage, trade-in and carrier choices before ordering starts at 8 a.m. EDT on Friday. The phone starts at $1,999.
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Gurman Supply Warning
One supply chain insider said the shift toward pricier models should lift the earnings of companies that build parts for Apple. Supply is the bigger question.
Apple reporter Mark Gurman said the company has faced tighter Duo supply than it expected, and that about two months ago it believed production limits could push sales back to late November. It has since built enough stock to launch on time. Inventory will still be limited, he said.
Forecasts for the Duo have moved in both directions.
On Jul. 2, reports said Apple had asked suppliers to build about 10 million foldables in 2026, up from an earlier target of 7 million to 8 million.
In mid-September, analyst Jeff Pu trimmed his 2026 shipment estimate to 6 million from 7 million, citing the difficulty of producing the hinge at scale. Final assembly yields at Foxconn stood just above 60% as of Sept. 17, a person close to the company's supply chain said.
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