Apple's foldable iPhone launch faces supply delays

Apple is expected to announce its first foldable iPhone, tentatively referred to as the iPhone Ultra, alongside its new iPhone 18 Pro lineup this September. However, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, initial supply will be extremely limited, likely pushing pre-orders and sales into the fourth quarter of 2026 and causing significant delivery delays for consumers.

Kuo’s latest industry survey indicates that total foldable iPhone shipments for the second half of 2026 will reach only 7 to 8 million units. Of that total, just 500,000 to 1 million units are projected to be ready in the third quarter, which is when Apple typically builds inventory for a September launch. By comparison, estimated third-quarter shipments for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are between 20 million and 22 million units.

This constrained supply scenario mirrors Apple’s strategy with the iPhone X in 2017. That device was announced in September alongside other models but did not open for pre-orders until late October, with sales beginning in November due to manufacturing complexities. Kuo believes the foldable iPhone will follow a similar playbook, with an announcement in September but a staggered commercial...