Apple plans huge iPhone Duo demo experiences in select retail stores: report

The iPhone Duo is about two weeks away from release, and according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has big retail plans for its first foldable iPhone, to make sure every customer gets to see it as much as possible.

Apple is gearing up for a major launch with the iPhone Duo, which should come as no surprise. What is surprising, however, is the attention Apple is putting into ensuring this launch goes as smoothly as possible.

In the newsletter, Gurman reports that the company plans to have more than a hundred demo units in some of its larger stores:

The company is preparing a major retail effort, with a large number of demonstration units in its flagship stores. The Fifth Avenue location in New York is expected to have more than 150 units across hands-on demonstration stations and in-store fixtures. The Apple Park Visitor Center, at the company’s headquarters, will have nearly 100 people. Other sites, including Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Grove in Los Angeles and Upper West Side in Manhattan, will each have about 30 to 40 units.

Some of its smaller stores will only have around 20 units, which still seems larger than usual, considering there are only two colors. Given how difficult it will be to buy a Duo at launch, allowing lots of hands-on demos at once seems reasonable.

iPhone Duo demo devices

Beyond the number of demo units, the company has also designed a new MagSafe stand that can hold an unfolded iPhone Duo, alongside two “standard” iPhones (likely the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.) There will also be iPhone Duo demo units without a security clip “on the sides of the stores,” so users can demo sleep mode and other features.

Finally, the company is planning a new device for select Apple Stores that will feature the opening and closing of the iPhone Duo, so it’s “impossible to miss” when you enter an Apple Store.

Overall, the iPhone Duo will become the forefront of Apple Stores after its launch on October 23. It will be difficult to get, so if you want to own one, make sure you are ready to pre-order it on October 16.

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