Digitimes, citing supply chain sources, indicated yesterday (April 13) that the mass production plan for the iPhone Fold may be delayed by one to two months, but this will not significantly affect the launch date.
According to a blog post, Apple’s first foldable phone is expected to be released in September 2026, coinciding with the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro series, and going on sale in October. This timeline contrasts sharply with a previous report by Nikkei Asia, which stated that Apple had notified suppliers that the project would be delayed until 2027.
Tech media outlet AppleInsider points out that different sources have significantly differing assessments of the extent of the delay. Digitimes believes the delay only affects the production ramp-up schedule, while Nikkei Asia characterizes it as a year-long delay.
The direct cause of the mass production plan adjustment is likely the delay in the Engineering Verification Test (EVT) phase. EVT is a critical hurdle for a product to move from prototype to mass production, primarily verifying the reliability of the hardware design and the feasibility of the manufacturing process. A delay in this phase usually means that large-scale testing has not yet started, which also explains why there have been a lack of actual product leaks recently.
The media outlet believes that even if the iPhone Fold is released as scheduled, the initial supply will be very limited. Apple has never planned to make it a high-volume model, and the limited initial inventory may not significantly suppress market demand.
Digitimes predicts that even with a price tag of around $2,500, higher than similar products from Samsung and Huawei, Apple is still expected to lead the market. If it launches in 2026, first-year sales are projected to reach 6 to 7 million units, accounting for approximately 22% of the global foldable phone market.
Global shipments of foldable phones are expected to reach approximately 20.2 million units in 2025, and with Apple’s entry into the market, this figure is projected to climb to 30.5 million units in 2026, representing a year-on-year growth of 50%.
