Apple's foldable iPhone, expected to be called the iPhone Ultra, has entered mass production and remains on schedule for a September launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, according to multiple supply chain sources.
The news contradicts rumors from early July that Apple's first foldable had hit production delays. Chinese financial outlet Cailian Press reported that several companies within Apple's supply chain confirmed the foldable's design was finalized months ago and that peak production is now underway.
Suppliers told Cailian they had not heard of any delay and that a September delivery window was "no problem."
Apple has reportedly raised its production targets to approximately 10 million foldable iPhones for the year, up from an earlier forecast of 7 to 8 million. Assembly partner Foxconn has launched a large-scale hiring campaign to support the ramp-up, a move that would make little sense if a significant delay were imminent.
But ramping production and getting units into customers' hands are two different things.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo projects initial shipments will be just 500,000 to 1 million units in the third quarter, roughly 10% of Apple's total second-half output. That means buyers could face shipping delays of four to six weeks or longer at launch.
Kuo expects Apple to follow an iPhone X-style strategy: a massive design leap paired with deliberately constrained supply.
Early hinge problems, which Apple reportedly struggled with during testing, appear to have been resolved. The Elec reported last month that mass production was set to begin in July but flagged hinge durability issues.
Sources now say those problems are behind them and production is accelerating. The book-style foldable is expected to pack a 7.8-inch inner display, a 5.5-inch cover screen, Apple's A20 chip, a Touch ID power button, and a C2 modem in select regions. Pricing estimates across reports range from $2,000 to $2,500, making it the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever built.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported in March that the foldable would not ship in the same September window as the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, but he revised that stance a month later, saying Apple was aiming for a simultaneous or near-simultaneous release. The latest supply chain data matches that updated timeline.
Apple enters a foldable market already crowded with offerings from Samsung and Chinese manufacturers. The iPhone Ultra's success will hinge on whether Apple can deliver enough units to meet what is expected to be enormous demand, and whether customers are willing to wait four to six weeks for the privilege.
