Apple says iPhone Duo supply relief is hard to predict as delays stretch into next year

Apple cannot say when buyers of the new iPhone Duo will see shorter waits, according to TechCrunch. Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan told analysts on Monday's fiscal fourth-quarter earnings call that the handset is still in short supply and that the company has no firm forecast for balancing supply with demand.

Khan said production is moving forward and that Apple is pushing to deliver the device to buyers quickly. He also said the timing of any improvement is difficult to forecast.

Customers who skipped store queues or early preorders now face delivery dates that reach into next year. Verizon has been apologizing to subscribers for the waits and handing out gift cards, TechCrunch reported.

Apple previously told the Financial Times in an October report that interest in the Duo was far beyond its expectations. The device sold out on Apple's website within hours of release, which pushed shipping estimates into next year.

The long delays stand out for a company known for running a tight supply chain. Other hardware makers are under similar strain: demand for memory chips from the AI sector has lifted component prices across the industry and could drive device prices higher.

Khan said Apple has raised prices on several products and that those choices were made unwillingly. Memory costs were a recurring theme on the call, which drew many questions about the expense of those components.

Apple also said it is expanding its work with Perryman, a titanium supplier for the new foldable device. Chief Executive John Ternus said in his opening remarks that early feedback from reviewers and buyers has pleased the company and that it is working to get the Duo to customers as fast as possible.