Apple has instructed suppliers to arrange to make roughly 10 million foldable iPhones this 12 months, up from a earlier forecast of about 7-8 million models just a few months in the past, stories Nikkei Asia ($).
Apple has already booked elements for roughly 80 million smartphones for the second half of 2026, which incorporates the iPhone 18 Professional, iPhone 18 Professional Max, and the first-ever foldable iPhone. The corporate’s full 2026 manufacturing is predicted to high 220 million models, in line with the publication.
Apple’s buying energy is claimed to have left it higher positioned than rivals like Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo, which have every minimize annual manufacturing targets beneath 100 million models amid an industry-wide reminiscence scarcity.
Some suppliers have reportedly been instructed to anticipate orders for as many as 85 million new iPhones within the second half of 2026, with Apple asking them to order iPhone 17 parts for the approaching iPhone 18 lineup.
Engineering issues tied to the foldable iPhone’s hinge seem to have been resolved, however that has raised the chances of a small preliminary cargo following the gadget’s launch. A bigger manufacturing run probably will not start till nearer to the top of the 12 months.
Apple raised costs on MacBooks and iPads final month in response to rising part prices, however the iPhone 17 lineup has to date been spared from a value hike. If that is still the case, Apple will probably use the brand new units launches to introduce elevated pricing throughout the lineup. IDC has predicted that the foldable will carry a median promoting value of $2,500, with storage choices probably priced as excessive as $3,000.
Apple’s foldable iPhone is rumored to characteristic a 7.8-inch internal show and a 5.5-inch cowl show, together with Contact ID as an alternative of Face ID, an A20 chip, and Apple’s C2 modem. The gadget is predicted to be launched alongside the iPhone 18 Professional fashions in September. Apple’s book-style foldable might launch because the “iPhone Extremely,” as prompt by reports.