Apple’s first foldable iPhone has reportedly worked through the hinge problems that fueled speculation of a delay, with mass production now expected to start next month, according to a new report from The Elec. The timeline keeps the device on pace for a September launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models.
According to The Elec’s sources, the hinge mechanism produced a slight noise after durability testing that put it through millions of fold cycles. Manufacturing tolerances on parts of the assembly process also ran wider than expected, pushing defect rates higher than Apple wanted. A Taiwan-based industry source has now revealed that most of these problems have been worked out.
The report also adds some clarity to a timeline that’s shifted before. In March, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claimed that the foldable wouldn’t ship alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in September. However, he reversed course a few weeks later, saying the device was back on track for that same window even though he noted production hadn’t yet ramped up.
Leaks suggest Apple’s first foldable could feature a 7.8-inch foldable OLED main display supplied by Samsung that integrates the color filter directly into the panel instead of using a separate layer, a design meant to make the screen thinner.
The device is also said to include a 5.5-inch cover screen, Apple’s A20 chip, a C2 modem, two rear cameras, and a power button with an integrated Touch ID sensor instead of Face ID. Pricing is expected to land somewhere around $2,000, and Apple may market the device as the iPhone Ultra.
A foldable iPhone has been years in the making, and Apple is clearly taking its time to get the hinge right before shipping. The late launch could work in its favor if it means avoiding the early hinge and durability complaints that have dogged other first-gen foldables.
Budget phone deals can be some of the worst Prime Day traps because the low price does a lot of emotional damage to common sense. A cheap phone still needs enough storage, decent battery life, a usable camera, and enough performance to avoid becoming drawer clutter by Halloween. These two deals make sense for different reasons: the Pixel 10a is the better all-around Android buy, while the Moto G Play is the cheapest phone here that still has a clear job.
Google Pixel 10a
The next time you subscribe to a service or make an in-app purchase on Android, you may not use Google Play’s billing system. Starting June 30, developers in the US, UK, and Europe will be able to offer expanded payment options for digital purchases on the Google Play Store. That means some apps could begin directing users to their own websites or offering alternative checkout systems instead of relying entirely on Google Play Billing.
You may start seeing new ways to pay
Last week, Tim Cook made it clear that Apple hardware prices, including iPhones, are likely heading higher because the company is running out of ways to absorb rising costs. The biggest pressure point is memory, with RAM and storage prices climbing sharply across the tech industry.
That has raised fears that the iPhone 18 Pro could see a dramatic price jump. However, new research from J.P. Morgan points to a less frightening outcome. According to a screenshot of the firm’s estimates shared by Max Weinbach on X, Apple may be able to offset part of the memory hit through savings in other areas.
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