- Apple's foldable iPhone Ultra development has been hampered by supply and pricing issues, with testing problems on production models.
- Mass production originally scheduled for early June has been pushed to August and is now stalled again.
- Reports suggest the iPhone Ultra will be unveiled alongside iPhone 18 Pro models but may be a 'no show' at launch in some markets.
- US market gets first dibs, with China and other key markets following over two or three months.
- Australian carriers and retailers say Australian shoppers would wait months for the phone.
- The staggered launch is said to be due to supply setbacks and pricing problems.
- Apple is expected to make 7 million foldables in the second half of this year.
- Apple's iPhone event is most likely going to happen on Tuesday, September 8 or Wednesday, September 9.
Apple's foldable iPhone Ultra is facing significant delays in its international rollout, with initial preorders limited to U.S. customers due to supply, pricing, and testing issues. Reports indicate that buyers in China and other countries will have to wait months for availability.15
According to sources, development has been hampered by testing issues with production models and complications related to the device's hinge and display. Originally scheduled for mass production in early June, the timeline has been pushed back to August and is now stalled again.2
Apple is expected to produce 7 million foldable units in the second half of the year, but the staggered launch means that the U.S. will receive the device first, followed by key markets like China over a period of two to three months. This approach mirrors the launch strategy of the Vision Pro headset, which was also initially limited to the U.S. market before expanding internationally.6
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously indicated that the foldable iPhone would be unveiled alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models, but preorders for the Ultra are now expected to lag behind.
The complexity of the device has led to ongoing production challenges, with Apple reportedly raising its order to around 10 million units for the year, up from an initial estimate of 7-8 million units.
“The staggered rollout echoes the Vision Pro's 2024 launch, which reached China and other markets months after the US. Apple's production target for the second half is 7 million units, far below analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's forecast of 20-22 million for iPhone 18 Pro models.”
MacRumors
