Unfixable issues mean iPhone Ultra launch might be ceremonial
The device's design has also come under fire following the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 launch.
Looks like a train wreck. | Image by TechDroider
The rumored iPhone Ultra is set to be Apple's first foldable device, making it tricky to produce. While rumors of production hiccups and limited initial supply have circulated for months, a new report offers the strongest evidence yet of a delayed launch.
The iPhone Ultra will initially go on sale in limited quantities in the US alone, per Australian outlet ChannelNews. Retail availability will then expand in phases to other regions, with key markets like China getting priority.
While the device will still be announced alongside the iPhone 18 Pro in the US, manufacturing obstacles will keep Apple from announcing its price at launch.
A major Chinese component maker allegedly confirmed that Apple has run into snags with supply, testing, and pricing. As a result, buyers in international markets could be left waiting months.
Apple is said to be experiencing issues with the early batch it has produced. The company ran into more problems than expected with the hinge and foldable display during production verification tests. Current engineering solutions are insufficient to address these flaws.
Mass production was set to begin in June, but was later delayed to August. It has slipped again, lending weight to rumors that supply will be constrained in 2026. Foxconn was still tweaking mass production plans as late as July, with engineering validation expected to push timelines back by two months.
The chip crunch has added more uncertainty, making it difficult for the company to settle on a price. In Australia, the device could cost $700 AUD (~ $494 USD) more than the base Fold 8 model.
While the iPhone Ultra was always expected to hit store shelves after the iPhone 18 Pro, the scale of the problems was assumed to be minor. There is also precedent for staggered and delayed releases, with Apple having done the same with Vision Pro and iPhone X.
However, today's report points toward a rockier rollout, something that Samsung also experienced with its first foldable. For a device years in the making, lacking an engineering fix less than a month before the announcement isn't a great sign for durability.
Meanwhile, the wide and short Fold 8 is doing better than expected, with Samsung now planning to make an additional one million units. While iOS diehards are unlikely to take the plunge for Samsung's foldable, platform-agnostic buyers might go for it instead of waiting months for the iPhone Ultra. It also works in Samsung's favor that the Fold 8 starts at $1,900, whereas the iPhone Ultra could cross the $2,300 mark.
Insurmountable challenges
The iPhone Ultra will initially go on sale in limited quantities in the US alone, per Australian outlet ChannelNews. Retail availability will then expand in phases to other regions, with key markets like China getting priority.
A major Chinese component maker allegedly confirmed that Apple has run into snags with supply, testing, and pricing. As a result, buyers in international markets could be left waiting months.
...we believe the Company is also having testing issues with production models that have already been built.
Chinese component supplier, August 2026
The double whammy of a component crunch
Apple is said to be experiencing issues with the early batch it has produced. The company ran into more problems than expected with the hinge and foldable display during production verification tests. Current engineering solutions are insufficient to address these flaws.
The device's design has also come under scrutiny following the release of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8.
Mass production was set to begin in June, but was later delayed to August. It has slipped again, lending weight to rumors that supply will be constrained in 2026. Foxconn was still tweaking mass production plans as late as July, with engineering validation expected to push timelines back by two months.
The chip crunch has added more uncertainty, making it difficult for the company to settle on a price. In Australia, the device could cost $700 AUD (~ $494 USD) more than the base Fold 8 model.
Does this make you less likely to buy the iPhone Ultra?
Undermining confidence
While the iPhone Ultra was always expected to hit store shelves after the iPhone 18 Pro, the scale of the problems was assumed to be minor. There is also precedent for staggered and delayed releases, with Apple having done the same with Vision Pro and iPhone X.
However, today's report points toward a rockier rollout, something that Samsung also experienced with its first foldable. For a device years in the making, lacking an engineering fix less than a month before the announcement isn't a great sign for durability.
First-mover advantage
Meanwhile, the wide and short Fold 8 is doing better than expected, with Samsung now planning to make an additional one million units. While iOS diehards are unlikely to take the plunge for Samsung's foldable, platform-agnostic buyers might go for it instead of waiting months for the iPhone Ultra. It also works in Samsung's favor that the Fold 8 starts at $1,900, whereas the iPhone Ultra could cross the $2,300 mark.
Read more about the iPhone Ultra's troubles:
- A creaking hinge
- Component hold-up
- New-category challenges
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