#retail

Apple has told customers in Japan and South Korea that, for a limited time, the iPhone Duo will be handed out only to people who hold a pickup reservation, according to MacRumors. The notices appear on Apple's localized websites for the two countries.

The restriction also covers the iPhone 18 Pro Max. In practice, anyone hoping to simply walk into an Apple Store in Japan or South Korea on launch day and leave with a new phone will be turned away unless they reserved a unit for pickup in advance.

The iPhone Duo goes on sale Friday, October 23, with pre-orders having opened on October 16. MacRumors reports that walk-in sales are not expected to be available at launch in the two markets.

Apple is preparing a large in-store push for the iPhone Duo, but buyers may find stock tight, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. His reporting, relayed by MacRumors on October 11, describes how Apple Stores are being set up ahead of the foldable's arrival. These are reported details, not Apple announcements.

Gurman says Apple will dedicate a section of its Fifth Avenue flagship in New York to the iPhone Duo. Most other locations are said to be adding a spotlight table built on Apple's white display tables with central posts, plus a new fixture that shows the phone folding and unfolding.

2001. Apple opened its first two retail stores on May 19, 2001, at Tysons Corner, Virginia, and in Glendale, California. Many commentators predicted they would struggle. The stores were designed around hands-on use, with products on open tables rather than behind glass.

2001 to 2002. The Genius Bar, an in-store support counter, became a signature feature. Apple expanded steadily across the U.S.

2003. The first store outside the U.S. opened in Tokyo's Ginza district. London's Regent Street flagship followed in 2004.

2006. The glass cube entrance on Fifth Avenue in New York opened on May 19, 2006, and quickly became a landmark. It operates around the clock.