Some iPhone Duo buyers at US Apple Stores will be greeted by name the first time the phone turns on, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
In Gurman's words, relayed by 9to5Mac, "Apple retail stores will have a system to customize the boot of the device." The store sets it up, and the phone's first setup screen shows a greeting with your name in it. It works in English and Spanish.
Gurman says the greeting is exclusive to the Duo, Apple's first folding phone, which costs $1,999 for 256GB and runs to $3,199 for 2TB.
How it might work
Apple Stores already have a way to reach a phone that's still in its box. It's called Presto, and Gurman first reported it in 2023. Staff can switch on a sealed iPhone, install a software update over the air and switch it off again, and the seal never breaks. The Duo greeting could run through Presto or through something built for this phone.
Who gets it
Some buyers, by Gurman's account, and only in the US. You'd have to buy the phone inside an Apple Store. Apple hasn't said anything about the greeting, so there's no word yet on which stores will offer it or how you'd ask for one.
The dates
Pre-orders open Friday, October 16, at 5 a.m. PT. The Duo goes on sale October 23, which is also the first day it's in stores. From October 12, Apple lets you set up an order ahead of time so it's ready when pre-orders open.
Launch stock is reported to be thin, so a pre-order for delivery is still the safer way to get a Duo on day one. If you'd planned to buy in a store anyway, ask for your name on it.