Apple is reportedly planning to begin mass production of its first foldable iPhone at the end of July, keeping a September launch on the table despite manufacturing problems that surfaced during testing.
The device, which may carry the iPhone Ultra name, is expected to carry a starting price of around $2,000.
That positions it above every iPhone Apple currently sells and puts it in direct competition with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold lineup, where prices have hovered in the same range for years.
What Went Wrong During Testing
During durability testing, the hinge mechanism developed an audible noise after being opened and closed millions of times.
Wider-than-expected tolerances in parts of the assembly process also pushed defect rates higher than Apple’s suppliers could accept.
Reports from Taiwan indicate that while most of these problems have been resolved, a few lingering issues may persist.
The hinges themselves are being manufactured using 3D-printing techniques by two suppliers: Shin Zu Shing in Taiwan and Amphenol in the United States.
That dual-supplier arrangement is consistent with how Apple typically manages component risk on high-profile product launches.
A $2,000 Phone With a Different Set of Trade-Offs
The foldable opens to a 7.8-inch OLED display made by Samsung. That inner screen uses a construction method that removes one of the traditional display layers, folding the color-filtering function directly into the panel stack.
The result is a thinner, lighter screen that draws less power. When closed, a 5.5-inch cover display handles everyday tasks.
Unlike every current iPhone model, the Ultra is expected to use Touch ID built into the power button rather than Face ID.
Apple is also equipping it with its A20 chip, the same processor expected in the iPhone 18 Pro, along with a C2 modem and two rear cameras.
Where the September Timeline Stands
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in April that Apple was aiming to launch the foldable at roughly the same time as the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, or slightly after.
Despite earlier concerns that hinge issues would delay the device until 2027, industry insiders report that those fears have not materialized.
Production ramping in late July would give Apple roughly six to eight weeks of manufacturing lead time before a fall announcement.
For buyers considering the jump, the $2,000 price means the iPhone Ultra would cost about $500 more than a 256GB iPhone 18 Pro Max at current pricing expectations.
Whether the larger inner screen justifies that premium depends entirely on how much time a given user spends reading, watching video, or working across multiple apps at once.
