Apple Stores in Japan have announced that the iPhone Duo cannot be purchased without a reservation, with store-pickup availability varying by model. As of the morning, same-day pickup was available for many configurations of the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Store information for Apple Stores in Japan states that, for the time being, the latest iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro Max cannot be purchased without a reservation. The author thoroughly checked pickup availability at 11 stores as of 6:00 a.m. on 20 October Japan time.
Pickup could not be selected for any of the 88 Duo combinations, meaning a “reservation” involving an online order followed by pickup arrangements is required. Delivery continues to show the previously stated shipping schedule, while the Japan shipping date was still listed as undecided at the time of the announcement.
For the iPhone 18 Pro Max, same-day pickup was shown as available for 140 of 176 combinations, and many configurations were likely to be obtainable immediately depending on color and capacity. Shortages appeared particularly prolonged for burgundy-colored configurations.
No announcement has been made regarding carrier stores or mass retailers, and online store pickup is being presented as the main purchasing method. Future developments are expected to depend on whether pickup slots for the Duo open and whether information is updated in line with the US recheck date of 24 October local time.
In summary, in-store pickup of the Duo without a reservation was difficult at the time, while the Pro Max was readily available for same-day pickup in many configurations when store pickup was selected online.