Issues for iPhone Fold, Apple could delay the launch

Despite recent rumors indicating the start of production for the long-awaited first foldable smartphone by Apple, informally known as the iPhone Fold, the latest news paints a decidedly more cautious outlook.

According to an exclusive report published by Nikkei Asia, the California-based company is facing much more complex obstacles than expected.

iPhone Fold is delayed, Apple warns its partners

These issues, clearly evident during the early stages of pre-production testing, are demanding longer resolution timelines, bringing the realistic prospect of a several-month delay for the device’s first shipments.

Some strategic partners in the supply chain, tasked with providing components, would already have been informed by Apple about possible changes in the delivery schedule.

Current solutions have not proven sufficient to close the work within the established timelines, making an extension of the development phase necessary.

The original plan was to unveil the foldable smartphone to the public in September, in conjunction with the debut of the future iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. However, prominent analysts such as Mark Gurman of Bloomberg now believe that the iPhone Fold will arrive on the market at a later time than flagship devices with a traditional design.

This strategy faithfully mirrors what was already seen in 2017 with the iPhone X, announced in September alongside the iPhone 8 series but shipped to buyers only in November. That two-month window allowed Apple to refine the delicate details before global distribution, a necessary approach that the company intends to replicate for this novel form factor.

Impact on the market and internal reorganization

The consequences of this potential delay go beyond consumer frustration. The entire mobile phone sector eagerly awaits Apple’s entry into this specific niche.

According to analysis firm IDC, the arrival of the iPhone Fold should drive a 30% increase in global shipments of foldable smartphones in 2026, a notable figure considering that the previous year had recorded 20.6 million units shipped with a 10% year-over-year growth.

To manage resources in a context of tight supply, particularly regarding memory chips, Apple would decide to postpone the presentation of the base iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2 to spring 2027, concentrating 2026 efforts on high-end devices.

Among them, the foldable model stands out, for which an estimate of a particularly exclusive starting price is expected, near €2,200.