---
title: "Apple faces supply constraints for foldable iPhone ahead of festive season"
publisher: "Stockmark.IT"
author: "Stockmark.IT Website"
published: "2026-11-04T07:33:28+00:00"
modified: "2026-11-04T07:33:28+00:00"
date: 2026-11-04
canonical: "https://stockmark.it/apple-unsure-when-it-will-get-more-foldable-iphones-ahead-of-christmas/"
category: "Business"
categories: ["Business", "Companies", "Technology"]
image: "https://i0.wp.com/stockmark.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/apple-faces-supply-constraints-for-foldable-iphone-ahead-of.png?fit=1536%2C1024&quality=80&ssl=1"
format: "news"
language: "en-GB"
---

# Apple faces supply constraints for foldable iPhone ahead of festive season

**Published:** November 4, 2026
**Author:** Stockmark.IT Website
**Categories:** Business, Companies, Technology
**Featured image:** ![Apple faces supply constraints for foldable iPhone ahead of festive season](https://i0.wp.com/stockmark.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/apple-faces-supply-constraints-for-foldable-iphone-ahead-of.png?fit=1536%2C1024&quality=80&ssl=1)

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Apple has acknowledged that it cannot currently predict when additional units of its new foldable iPhone will become available, a development that casts a shadow over the critical Christmas trading period. The device, known as the iPhone Duo, sold out within just over a week of its launch, despite carrying a price tag of nearly $2,000, which makes it the most expensive smartphone in the company’s history. Executives have cited specific constraints in sourcing key components as the primary reason for the stock shortage, admitting that it is extremely difficult to forecast when supply will finally meet demand.

The supply issues come as Apple’s new chief executive, John Ternus, highlighted an unprecedented rise in memory costs, including chips. This increase is attributed to the artificial intelligence industry’s continued investment of billions of dollars in building data centres. Ternus, who assumed the role of chief executive in September following Tim Cook, launched the Duo during his tenure. The smartphone represents the first major design change to the device in almost 20 years. However, the launch has not been without technical difficulties, as some buyers have reported problems with the screen. Last week, the company announced it would replace handsets affected by an issue causing a small number of devices to crack along the inside fold. Notably, Apple’s executives did not mention these specific problems when releasing the company’s latest financial figures on Monday.

Despite the supply challenges, Ternus expressed that he was thrilled by the early reaction to the foldable phone. Chief operating officer Sabih Khan stated that the company was working hard to get the Duo into the hands of customers as quickly as possible. Apple’s financial results for the three months to 26 September did not include sales of the Duo, which was released at the end of October. Nevertheless, the company reported that it had sold more iPhones globally over the last year than ever before. iPhone revenue for the quarter rose by 17 per cent to $57bn, while sales of Mac computers grew by 27 per cent to a record $10.7bn. Overall, Apple’s sales between July and September increased from $102bn to $114bn, with pre-tax profit rising from $32.8bn to $36.1bn.

However, not all product lines performed well. Sales for both the iPad and Apple’s wearable products, including its headphones and watch, fell by 10 per cent and 7 per cent respectively. Khan noted that most Apple devices were still experiencing supply constraints driven in part by difficulty in securing enough microprocessors with advanced nodes. These components, largely manufactured by TSMC in Taiwan, allow devices to operate more quickly. Khan warned that this problem was expected to continue into next year, particularly impacting iPads and Macs. The situation has been exacerbated by what the company described as unexpected demand for its products. Ternus also pointed to unprecedented cost increases for memory storage, which is essential for storing data such as apps and photos. Much of this storage runs through data centres, which have seen a boom in demand as AI platforms from companies like OpenAI and Anthropic have gained popularity. Earlier this year, former chief executive Tim Cook referred to a sudden increase in data centre costs as a thousand year flood. In response to these pressures, Apple has lifted prices on nearly all of its hardware products by around 20 per cent. Sunil Krishnan from Aviva Investors told the BBC that Apple posted a reasonably solid set of results, noting that margins well north of 45 per cent for a well-established company are impressive. Despite this, Apple’s share price fell by 1.8 per cent in after-hours trading.

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