Apple's Foldable iPhone Nears Production, Hinge Issues Largely Resolved [Report]

Apple's first foldable iPhone remains on track for a September unveiling, with mass production expected to begin in late July as most of the hinge issues that had fueled recent delay speculation appear to have been resolved. Samsung Display has also received Apple's approval for initial foldable OLED module production from its Vietnam facility, according to a new report from The Elec.



Citing supply-chain officials in Korea and Taiwan, The Elec reports that Apple has finalized the foldable iPhone's display, enclosure, and mechanical-component specifications and entered the production-preparation stage. Trial production began in April, and Foxconn is expected to handle the first production run when mass manufacturing starts around the end of July.


The hinge, long a focus of speculation, is being manufactured with 3D-printing techniques by Taiwan's Shin Zu Shing and U.S.-based Amphenol. Durability testing involving millions of folding cycles reportedly uncovered some concerns during development. One Taiwanese industry official told The Elec that slight hinge noise emerged after testing and that larger-than-expected tolerances during some assembly processes temporarily increased defect rates. "Most of these problems have been solved," the official added.

This update follows weeks of conflicting signals about possible delays. In April, reports suggested the foldable iPhone had hit engineering snags as testing entered a critical stage. Apple is also rumored to be using a titanium frame and Liquid Metal hinge, materials that could help improve durability while keeping weight under control. The overall design is expected to prioritize repairability with a highly modular internal layout.

Earlier this month, developers digging into the first beta of iOS 27 discovered numerous references to a folding device, including new system frameworks that track fold states and hinge angles. The findings offered further evidence that Apple is preparing software support for a new foldable form factor.

The device, which some reports suggest could be branded iPhone Ultra, is rumored to feature a 7.8-inch inner display, a 5.5-inch cover screen, side-mounted Touch ID, an A20 chip, a C2 modem, and dual rear cameras.