Apple Unveils New Smart Home Portfolio as iPhone Duo Pre-Orders Slip into 2027 Ahead of October Media Event

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iPhone Duo Supply Crunch Drives Delivery Estimates Into 2027

While Apple expanded its home line on Tuesday, pre-orders for the highly anticipated iPhone Duo kicked off early Friday morning, resulting in immediate supply constraints and shipping delays worldwide.

Orders opened at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday across numerous countries. Within seconds of the online storefront going live, initial delivery dates for the initial October 23 launch window began slipping. Less than 30 minutes into the pre-order period, shipping estimates in the United States had slipped to late January 2027—a delay of over three months.

The rapid push into 2027 means that early online buyers will completely miss the holiday delivery window. It remains unclear how many physical units, if any, will be available for walk-in retail customers when the hardware officially launches in stores on October 23.

The immediate stock shortage has already fueled a secondary resale market. Resellers and scalpers who secured launch-day pre-order slots began listing their confirmed orders on third-party marketplaces like eBay within hours of the pre-order window opening, with asking prices reaching as high as $5,000 for early delivery access.

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Apple Invites Media to October 28 Experience Ahead of Expected Mac and iPad Mini Refresh

Even as Apple manages the fallout from iPhone Duo shortages and prepares its smart home hardware rollout, the company is readying another series of announcements before the end of October.

Reports confirmed by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman indicate that Apple has begun issuing formal invitations to select members of the press and content creators for a media event on October 28 in Los Angeles. The gathering forms part of a two-day product experience scheduled for October 27 and 28.

While Apple’s invitation does not explicitly outline product debuts, industry expectations center on significant updates to the Mac and iPad families. Among the expected announcements are higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models featuring touchscreen OLED displays. Additionally, refreshed desktop iMac and entry-level MacBook Pro models powered by Apple’s new M6 chip series are anticipated to make their debut.

On the tablet side, rumors point to the unveiling of an updated iPad mini featuring an OLED display panel, bringing higher contrast ratios and color performance to Apple’s smallest tablet format.

With multiple smart home products slated for release through mid-November, the iPhone Duo launch around the corner, and a major Mac and iPad update scheduled for late October, Apple’s autumn release cycle remains one of its most aggressive hardware rollouts to date.