Apple is about 8 years late to the foldable smartphone space, with Samsung’s Galaxy Fold released in October 2018. Now, Tim Cook’s big launch of Apple’s first foldable smartphone could face “delays in its mass production and product shipment schedule,” according to new Nikkei Asia sources deep within the handset supply chain.
Supply chain sources told the Japanese business outlet that the complexity of the new foldable iPhone is causing engineering problems during early testing, and these issues could delay mass production and shipments by months.
Some suppliers have already been warned that component production schedules could be pushed back.
“It’s true that more issues than expected have emerged during the early test production phase, and additional time will be needed to resolve them and make necessary adjustments. … The current situation could put the mass production timeline at risk,” one of those sources said.
The source added, “April will mark a crucial stage of the engineering verification test, and this month through early May is extremely critical.”
Nikkei previously reported that Apple adjusted its iPhone launch strategy for 2026, pushing back production of base model iPhones to early 2027 to prioritise production of premium models, including foldable iPhones. This move is intended to allocate constrained supplies of memory chips and other key components more efficiently.
Supply chain sources told the Japanese business outlet that the complexity of the new foldable iPhone is causing engineering problems during early testing, and these issues could delay mass production and shipments by months.
Some suppliers have already been warned that component production schedules could be pushed back.
Nikkei Asia’s supply chain checks suggest Apple will initially produce 7 million to 8 million foldable iPhones.
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