Foldable iPhone 'Ultra' Set for Production in July Despite Hinge Issues - MacRumors

Apple's rumored foldable iPhone "Ultra" is expected to begin mass production at the end of July, according to a new report by The Elec. Although some recent reports suggested the book-style device could be delayed due to hinge-related issues, the Korean outlet's sources indicate that Apple is still targeting a September launch as planned. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported in March that the new foldable iPhone won't ship to customers in the same September timeframe as the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max. A month later, Gurman said that the foldable iPhone remained on track for a September debut alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models, and that Apple is aiming to put it on sale at roughly the same time or slightly later. Gurman noted at the time, however, that "the release is six months away and production has yet to ramp up" and "the timing isn't final." The foldable iPhone will use a foldable 7.8-inch OLED panel supplied by Samsung. The display uses a newer design that eliminates one of the traditional screen layers and instead builds the color-filtering layer directly into the display stack, making the screen thinner, lighter, and more power-efficient. The hinge will reportedly be supplied by Taiwan's Shin Zu Shing and U.S.-based Amphenol. Both companies are said to be providing hinges manufactured using 3D-printing techniques. The Elec's latest sources said Apple did encounter some challenges with the hinge during testing. After undergoing durability tests involving millions of folds, the mechanism reportedly began producing slight "noise," while wider-than-expected manufacturing tolerances in parts of the assembly process contributed to higher defect rates. However, most of these issues have since been addressed, according to one Taiwan-based industry source cited by the outlet. In addition to the inner display, the foldable iPhone is expected to feature a 5.5-inch cover display, as well as Apple's A20 chip and C2 modem, a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID, and two rear cameras, with pricing rumored at around $2,000. Apple's book-style foldable could launch as the "iPhone Ultra," as suggested by reports.