Apple Opens Get Ready for iPhone Duo as Supply Crunch Looms

Apple has switched on Get Ready, its pre-order preparation service, for the iPhone Duo. That matters because the company’s first foldable is expected to face tight supplies when the iPhone Duo pre-order window opens on October 16 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, which is 8 a.m. Eastern Time. The device itself launches October 23.

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What Get Ready Actually Does

Get Ready is available now through the Apple online store and the Apple Store app. It is optional, but Apple is encouraging customers to use it before pre-orders begin. The tool walks a buyer through the choices that normally slow down a launch-day checkout: color and storage capacity, carrier status, accessories, an AppleCare+ plan, a trade-in, a payment method, and both shipping and billing addresses.

Once those decisions are locked in, the ordering process collapses into a single tap when pre-orders open. That one-tap order is the entire point. Completing Get Ready does not reserve a device or guarantee availability, but it removes the step-by-step friction that can cost precious seconds.

Why Speed Matters This Time

Reports point to production issues that have constrained iPhone Duo supply. With limited inventory expected, pre-orders could sell out within minutes rather than hours. Buyers who have already completed Get Ready can submit an order faster than those starting from scratch, which may be the difference between a launch-day delivery and a lengthy wait.

The stakes are higher because the iPhone Duo is Apple’s debut foldable. First-generation hardware from Apple tends to draw outsized attention, and a constrained launch amplifies the competition for whatever units are available.

A Short Checklist Before Friday

Anyone planning to order should open the Apple Store app or the online store and finish Get Ready before pre-orders go live. Confirm the carrier details, pick the storage tier, decide on AppleCare+, and set up the trade-in and payment information in advance. The service is free to use and takes only a few minutes.

Pre-orders start October 16 at 5 a.m. PT / 8 a.m. ET. The iPhone Duo arrives October 23. With supply expected to be thin, the safest approach is to have everything decided before the clock starts.