Apple’s long-rumoured foldable iPhone could launch in September. However, it may not reach every market at the same time.
Instead, a new report claims Apple is preparing a staggered rollout, with the US expected to get the device first before expanding to other regions over the following months.
The foldable, reportedly known internally as the iPhone Ultra, is expected to be unveiled alongside Apple’s next-generation iPhone lineup. However, an unnamed Chinese component supplier told Channel News that supply and pricing issues could affect availability in some markets. The source also claimed Apple is still dealing with testing issues on some production models.
The supply concerns are perhaps easier to understand given that this would be Apple’s first foldable iPhone. A new form factor brings additional manufacturing complexity, and Apple may initially keep production relatively limited while it gauges demand.
Recent reports suggest Apple has ordered around 10 million units of the foldable, up from earlier estimates of 7 million to 8 million. That is a sizeable order. Still, it is modest compared with the tens of millions of conventional iPhones Apple typically produces around launch.
The claimed testing problems are less certain, particularly as a recent report suggested that earlier issues with the foldable had already been resolved. As a result, it is difficult to say whether manufacturing problems will actually affect the launch. They may simply contribute to tighter availability.
There is some precedent for Apple taking this approach. The Vision Pro launched in the US before gradually expanding to other markets, with production constraints playing a role in its limited initial availability. Therefore, a staggered launch would be unusual for an iPhone, but not unprecedented for a major new Apple product.
Australia could be among the markets waiting longer, with carriers reportedly indicating that the foldable won’t arrive alongside the iPhone 18 Pro.
Apple’s confidence in the device doesn’t appear to be wavering, however. Reports suggest the company is already considering a third-generation foldable iPhone for 2028. This would indicate that the first model is intended as more than a one-off experiment.
The post Apple’s first foldable iPhone could be delayed in some regions appeared first on Trusted Reviews.