A new report appears Digitimes today it says that production of Apple’s upcoming iPhone Fold has hit a roadblock. According to “sources inside the company’s supply chain,” the mass production of this phone has slowed down from July to August of this year.
However, Apple aims to launch the iPhone Fold in 2026, as Bloomberg has also reported last week … but it might be really hard to buy it.
The iPhone Fold is still coming this year despite recent delays
There was a lot of back and forth during the release of the iPhone Fold this past week. First, Nikkei Asia he said Apple encountered significant engineering problems in the development of the iPhone Fold that “could delay initial shipments by months.”
However, after a few hours, Bloomberg he quashed those rumors and said that Apple’s foldable iPhone “is likely to arrive in time for the company’s usual iPhone launch later this year.”
Today’s report from Digitimes confirms that Apple is facing production constraints, but stops short of suggesting that these are major problems that will affect the release of the iPhone Fold.
The report explains that new iPhones traditionally go into mass production in June, allowing Apple to build up inventory ahead of the September launch. However, mass production of the iPhone Fold has recently shifted from July to August. This will give Apple less time to build up enough inventory to satisfy early demand, which means it’s possible indeed It’s hard to find the iPhone Fold at first.
Reports surrounding the delay have been inconsistent, with some speculation suggesting a much later launch, possibly in 2027. Supply chain sources confirm that mass production has indeed shifted to August, but insist that Apple still aims for a 2026 launch, which means a tight and highly compressed production schedule.
Following EVT, the device still has to go through Design Verification Testing (DVT) and Production Verification Testing (PVT) before entering full-scale production. With EVT already delayed and the fall launch target unchanged, subsequent phases may face increased time pressure. Whether this compressed system presents additional risks remains to be seen.
9to5Mac’s Take
My takeaway from the recent iPhone Fold game is that Apple has every intention of announcing and releasing the iPhone Fold alongside the iPhone 18 Pro in September. However, I expect the iPhone Fold offering to be a lot limited to launch.
It’s clear that Apple just hit a lot of bubbles during the production of the iPhone Fold. Based on reports from Bloomberg again Digitimeshowever, those problems are not yet severe enough to warrant significant delays. Nikkei Asia I seem to disagree, but I doubt the availability of that report.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? Will Apple release the iPhone Fold in September, or will it delay the launch until later this year or 2027? Are you planning to buy an iPhone Fold? Let us know down in the comments.
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