Foldable iPhone Still Faces Production Hurdles, Report Says - MacRumors

What the report says

MacRumors reports that Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone is still facing manufacturing challenges, leaving its launch schedule not fully settled. The July 23 report, citing DigiTimes and supply-chain sources, says Foxconn is making final adjustments for mass production, but that engineering validation may have pushed progress back by one to two months.

According to the report, Apple has put Foxconn in charge of the device from new product introduction through mass production, a role tied to the assembler’s experience with high-precision structural parts and large-scale production refinements. One unnamed industry source cited in the report said Foxconn is viewed as the Apple partner best positioned to meet expected output requirements.

The reported bottlenecks center on the hinge mechanism and display durability testing, two areas that are especially important for foldable phones because repeated opening and closing can stress the screen and internal structure. MacRumors notes that the latest account differs from recent reports suggesting Apple had resolved hinge and circuit board issues, raised orders to about 10 million units, and had no anticipated delay.

The device is still expected, at least based on current reporting, to be introduced with the iPhone 18 Pro lineup in September. Reported specifications include a book-style form factor, an inner display around 7.7 to 7.8 inches, a 5.5-inch outer screen, a body thickness of about 4.5mm, and a starting price above $2,000. Apple has not confirmed the product or launch timing.